Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHODS FOR PROVIDING HEIGHT ENHANCED GRAFTED PLANTS AND
PRODUCTS THEREOF
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[01] The present invention generally relates to the field of grafted plants as
well as to a
method for providing grafted plants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[02] Grafting is a horticultural technique used to combine one plant part with
another to
encourage growth as a unified plant. In this technique, tissues from one plant
are inserted into
those of another so that the two sets of vascular tissues may join together.
This vascular
joining is called inosculation. In most cases, one plant is selected for its
roots and this is
called the stock or rootstock. The other plant is selected for its stems
(although stems may
also sometimes be sought after as a merit derived from the stock), leaves,
flowers, or fruits
and is called the scion. The scion contains the desired genes to be duplicated
in future
production by the stock/scion plant. In other words, the scion is the part of
the stem that
develops into a shoot system following successful grafting. The stock or
rootstock is the part
that develops into a root system following successful grafting. Both rootstock
and scion may
be grown from seed or from cuttings.
[03] The grafting technique is most commonly used in asexual propagation of
commercially grown plants for the horticultural and agricultural trades. More
specifically,
grafting is used as a method of choice to: 1) propagate plants when relatively
simpler
methods such as stem cuttings or seeds are ineffective, climatic or soil
conditions are
unfavorable, or major modifications to plant architecture are required; 2)
change plant
cultivars; and 3) repair damaged plants. For example, if a fruit cultivar has
lost consumer
acceptability, a more desirable cultivar can be grafted onto the existing
mature plant by top
working. This procedure is more economical than developing a new cultivar. In
general,
grafting is commercially the most cost-effective way of raising a particular
type of plant.
[04] Grafting can also be used to repair damaged plant parts. In addition,
grafting can
produce interesting and new plant combinations.
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[05] Grafting of woody plants has been common for centuries, but herbaceous
grafting has
only recently become popular as an agricultural method.
[06] Herbaceous plants are plants that have leaves and stems that die down at
the end of
the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above
ground.
Herbaceous plants may be annuals, biennials or perennials.
[07] Annual herbaceous plants die completely at the end of the growing season
or when
they have flowered and fruited, and they then grow again from seed. Herbaceous
perennial
and biennial plants have leaves (sometimes also stems) that die at the end of
the growing
season, but parts of the plant survive under or close to the ground from
season to season (for
biennials, until the next growing season, when they flower and die). Examples
of herbaceous
biennials include carrot, parsnip and common ragwort; examples of herbaceous
perennials
include potato, peony, hosta, mint, most ferns and most grasses.
[08] Herbaceous plant grafting became popular as a way to reduce certain
diseases caused
by soil borne plant pathogens and tolerance to abiotic stress like flooding,
drought, extreme
temperature and salinity.
[09] Currently, however, it is apparent that there is a long felt and unmet
need for
producing new designs and combinations of grafted plants, and especially
herbaceous grafted
plants having ornamental and other properties that are highly commercially
desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[10] It is therefore one object of the present invention to disclose a high
stem grafted
herbaceous plant, wherein said grafted plant comprises herbaceous scion
engrafted upon a
rootstock at a predetermined height of at least 7 cm.
[11] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined above, wherein said scion is engrafted upon said
rootstock at a
predetermined height of between about 7 cm and about 50 cm.
[12] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is
engrafted upon said
rootstock at a predetermined height of between about 10 cm and about 50 cm.
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[13] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is of
length of between
about 7 cm and about 30 cm.
[14] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is
compatible with said
rootstock.
[15] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said rootstock is
herbaceous plant.
[16] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion and/or
said rootstock is
derived from a hybrid plant.
[17] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion and/or
said rootstock
belongs to a family selected from the group consisting of: Solanaceae,
Lamiaceae (or
Labiatae), Lobeliaceae, Asteraceae, Scrophulariaceae, Caryophyllaceae,
Cucurbitaceae, and
any combination thereof.
[18] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion and/or
said rootstock is a
genus selected from the group consisting of Solanum, Capsicum, Petunia,
Calibrachoa,
Physalis and Ocimum and any combination thereof.
[19] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion and/or
said rootstock is a
species selected from the group consisting of: Solanum melon gena, S. betaceum
(Tamarillo)
and Physalis philadelphica (Tomatillo) and any combination thereof.
[20] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is
selected from the group
consisting of: 'Lobelia', 'Lobelia erinus', Gerbera, Gazania, Bidens, Bidens
ferulifolia,
Bacopa, Bacopa monnieri, Dianthus, Dianthus chinensis, Angelonia, Lycopersicon
lycopersicum, Lycopersicon lycopersicum cherry tomatoes, Thymus, Lavandula,
Origanum,
Salvia, Artemisia, Artemisia abrotanum and Majorana syriaca zaatar and any
combination
thereof.
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[21] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is
selected from the group
of Capsicum species consisting of: C. annuum, C. baccatuum, C. chinense, C.
frutescents and
C. pubescen and any combination thereof.
[22] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is an
ornamental pepper
variety or cultivar.
[23] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is an
ornamental pepper
variety or cultivar of a Capsicum annuum species.
[24] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is of the
Ocimum
basilicum species.
[25] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is
selected from the group
of Ocimum species, cultivars or varieties consisting of: Ocimum x africanum,
Ocimum
americanum, Ocimum amicorum, Ocimum angustifolium, Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum
burchellianum, Ocimum campechianum, Ocimum canescens, Ocimum camosum, Ocimum
cent raliafricanum, Ocimum circinatum, Ocimum coddii, Ocimum cufodontii,
Ocimum
dambicola, Ocimum decumbens, Ocimum dhofarense, Ocimum dolomiticola, Ocimum
ellenbeckii, Ocimum empetroides, Ocimum ericoides, Ocimum filamentosum, Ocimum
fimbriatum, Ocimum fischeri, Ocimum formosum, Ocimum forskoelei, Ocimum
fruticosum,
Ocimum grandiflorum, Ocimum gratissimum, Ocimum hirsutissimum, Ocimum irvinei,
Ocimum jamesii, Ocimum ken yense, Ocimum kilimandscharicum, Ocimum labiatum,
Ocimum lamiifolium, Ocimum masaiense, Ocimum meamsii, Ocimum metallorum,
Ocimum
minimum, Ocimum minutiflorum, Ocimum mitwabense, Ocimum monocotyloides, Ocimum
motjaneanum, Ocimum natalense, Ocimum nudicaule, Ocimum nummularia, Ocimum
obovatum, Ocimum ovatum, Ocimum pseudoserratum, Ocimum pyramidatum, Ocimum
reclinatum, Ocimum serpyllifolium, Ocimum serratum, Ocimum somaliense, Ocimum
spectabile, Ocimum spicatum, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Ocimum transamazonicum,
Ocimum
tubiforme, Ocimum urundense, Ocimum vandenbrandei, Ocimum vanderystii, Ocimum
viphyense, Ocimum waterbergense, Ocimum x citriodorum (0. americanum x 0.
basilicum),
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Lemon basil, Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum Dark Opal', African blue
basil,
basilicum, kilimandscharicum, minimum, herbalea, 'Globe' basil, 'dwarf basil,
'French' basil,
Ocimum basilicum var. minimum 'Greek' Basil, entries of Ocimum accessions
described in
Table 1 of Yariv Ben Naim et al (2015) Resistance Against Basil Downy Mildew
in Ocimum
Species, Genetics and Resistance Vol. 105 and any combination thereof.
[26] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is
selected from the group
of Calibrachoa species consisting of: Calibrachoa caesia, Calibrachoa
calycina,
Calibrachoa dusenii, Calibrachoa eglandulata, Calibrachoa elegans, Calibrachoa
ericaefolia, Calibrachoa excellens, Calibrachoa hassleriana, Calibrachoa
heterophylla,
Calibrachoa humilis, Calibrachoa linearis, Calibrachoa parviflora, Calibrachoa
pygmaea,
Calibrachoa rupestris, Calibrachoa sellowiana, Calibrachoa spathulata and
Calibrachoa
thymifolia.
[27] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said rootstock
belongs to a family
selected from the group consisting of Solanaceae and Lamiaceae or Labiatae.
[28] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said rootstock is
selected from the
group consisting of Cestroideae, Goetzeoideae, Nicotianoideae, Petunioideae,
Schizanthoideae, Schwenckioideae and Solanoideae subfamily.
[29] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said rootstock and/or
said scion is
selected from the group of Capsicum species consisting of: Capsicum annuum,
Capsicum
annuum L., Capsicum baccatum L., Capsicum buforum Hunz., Capsicum
campylopodium
Sendtn., Capsicum cardenasii Heiser & P. G. Sm., Capsicum ceratocalyx M. Nee,
Capsicum
chacoense Hunz., Capsicum chinense Jacq., Capsicum coccineum (Rusby) Hunz.,
Capsicum
comutum (Hiem) Hunz., Capsicum dimorphum (Miers) Kuntze, Capsicum dusenii
Bitter,
Capsicum eximium Hunz., Capsicum flexuosum Sendtn., Capsicum friburgense
Bianch. &
Barboza, Capsicum frutescens L., Capsicum galapagoense Hunz., Capsicum
geminifolium
(Dammer) Hunz., Capsicum havanense Kunth, Capsicum hookerianum (Miers) Kuntze,
Capsicum hunzikerianum Barboza & Bianch., Capsicum lanceolatum (Greenm.)
C.V.Morton
& Standl., Capsicum leptopodum (Dunal) Kuntze, Capsicum lycianthoides Bitter,
Capsicum
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minutiflorum (Rusby) Hunz., Capsicum mirabile Mart. ex Sendtn., Capsicum
mositicum
Toledo, Capsicum parvifolium Sendtn., Capsicum pereirae Barboza & Bianch.,
Capsicum
pubescens Ruiz & Pay., Capsicum ramosissimum Witasek, Capsicum recuryatum
Witasek,
Capsicum rhomboideum (Dunal) Kuntze, Capsicum schottianum Sendtn., Capsicum
scolnikianum Hunz., Capsicum spina-alba (Dunal) Kuntze, Capsicum
stramoniifolium
(Kunth) Standl., Capsicum tovarii Eshbaugh et al., Capsicum villosum Sendtn.
[30] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said rootstock is
selected from the
group of Petunia species consisting of: P. alpicola, P. altiplana, P.
axillaris, P. bajeensis, P.
bonjardinensis, P. exserta, P. guarapuavensis, P. helianthemoides, P.
humifusa, P. inflate, P.
integrifolia, P. interior, P. ledifolia, P. littoralis, P. mantiqueirensis, P.
occidentalis, P.
paryfflora, P. patagonica, P. pubescens, P. reitzii, P. riograndensis, P.
saxicola, P.
scheideana, P. variabilis, P. villadiana, P. x atkinsiana and P. hybrida.
[31] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said rootstock is
selected from the
group of species consisting of: Capsicum annuum, Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum
kilimandscharicum, Ocimum kilimandscharicum x 0. basilicum Fl, Solanum
lycopersicum
L., S. tuberosum and S. melon gena.
[32] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said grafted plant
comprises
engrafted pairs of compatible rootstock and scion selected from the group
consisting of a
rootstock of the Petunia genus engrafted with a scion of the Calibrachoa
genus, a rootstock of
the Capsicum annuum species engrafted with a scion of the Ornamental pepper
Capsicum
annuum species, a rootstock of the Ocimum species engrafted with a scion of
the Ocimum
species, a rootstock of the solanum lycopersicum species engrafted with a
scion of the S.
lycopersicum species, a rootstock of the solanum melon gena species engrafted
with a scion
of the S. lycopersicum species, a rootstock of the solanum melon gena species
engrafted with
a scion of the S. melon gena species, and a rootstock of the Origanum vulgare
species
engrafted with a scion of the 0. vulgare species.
[33] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said grafted plant is
derived from
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grafted high stem propagation material selected from the group consisting of
grafted high
stem young plants and grafted high stem unrooted raw material.
[34] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said young plants are
selected from
the group consisting of rooted cuttings, seedlings, grafted high stem rooted
cuttings and
grafted high stem seedlings.
[35] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said unrooted raw
material is
selected from the group consisting of unrooted cuttings and grafted high stem
unrooted
cuttings.
[36] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said unrooted raw
material is
adapted for insertion and growth in plug trays.
[37] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said grafted high
stem unrooted raw
material is adapted for perpendicular stability and/or sturdiness when planted
in a plug tray.
[38] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose a high stem
grafted finished
plant derived from the propagation material as defined in any of the above.
[39] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted finished
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said plant is adapted for
perpendicular stability
and/or sturdiness when planted in a pot or planting container.
[40] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted finished
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said plant is adapted for
planting as bedding
plants.
[41] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said rootstock has at
least one
compatible characteristic with said scion.
[42] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said at least one
compatible
characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: stem diameter, growth
pattern,
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taxonomical similarity, genetic similarity, anatomical similarity, growth
rate, enhanced or
reduced flowering, enhanced or reduced fruit size, enhanced or reduced fruit
yield, internode
number, internode diameter, internode and/or stem color, stem habit, root
stock and/or scion
woodification, and any combination thereof.
[43] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said rootstock and/or
said scion has
at least one desirable agronomical, horticultural and/or ornamental
characteristic.
[44] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said at least one
desirable
agronomical, horticultural and/or ornamental characteristic of said rootstock
is selected from
the group consisting of strong root system, enhanced stem height or high stem,
plant vigor,
vigorous growth, sturdiness, stress tolerance, resistance or tolerance to
biotic stress,
resistance or tolerance to disease agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi,
resistance or
tolerance to pests and weeds, disease resistance or tolerance, pest resistance
or tolerance,
resistance to pathogens, resistance to insect infestation, prevention of
contaminants
penetration to the scion, resistance to abiotic stress, resistance to nutrient
deficiencies,
improved seed yield, improved growth rate, desirable interaction between said
rootstock and
said scion, induced dwarfism, induced scion-crown density, enhanced vigor,
induced
sturdiness and/or thickness of said rootstock, enhanced germination, enhanced
rooting
potential, minimal sprout differentiation from callus, minimal side-shoots
from the rootstock
stem, enhanced rootstock stem thickness, maximal elongation of internodes,
robustness,
straight stem, thickness and any combination thereof.
[45] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the stress tolerance
characteristic
comprises an abiotic stress tolerance characteristic selected from the group
consisting of cold
tolerance, high temperature tolerance, drought tolerance, flood tolerance,
salt tolerance, ionic
phytotoxicity tolerance, pH tolerance and any combination thereof.
[46] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the stress tolerance
characteristic
comprises a biotic stress tolerance characteristic selected from the group
consisting of a
disease resistance, an insect resistance, tolerance to parasitic weeds, a
nematode resistance,
improved resistance to soil borne pests and any combination thereof.
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[47] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said desirable
agronomical and/or
horticultural characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a
rooting potential of at
least 80%, sprout differentiation from callus lower than 80%, side shoots from
the stem lower
than 90%, average stem thickness of at least 5 mm, average internode length of
at least 10
mm and any combination thereof.
[48] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said rootstock is
engrafted with at
least two different scions said scions belong to different varieties and are
compatible with
said rootstock.
[49] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said different scions
have at least
one different characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
inflorescence color, fruit
shape, growth pattern and any combination thereof.
[50] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said scion is
characterized by at
least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of dense
flowering, unique flower
color, low to moderate incompatibility with the rootstock, at least 50% output
of developed
plants, desirable aroma, enhanced fruit yield, dense foliage, upright fruits,
small conic fruits,
many fruits in cluster, different colors, short nodes, compact crown, many
branches, unripe
fruits, large fruits, un-clustered fruits, short to medium internodes,
vigorousness, large and
tall crown, compactness, branched, colourful fruits, sweet taste, non-pungent
fruits, non-
toxic, long internodes, high yield, multiple taste, multiple flower colors,
dwarf and compact,
tolerance to root and foliage diseases, crown shape, standard commercial
yield, stress
tolerance, dense flowering, unique colors, natural ball-shaped crown, creeping
stems, and any
combination thereof.
[51] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said high stem
grafted plant has at
least one desirable ornamental, horticultural and/or agronomical
characteristic relative to a
corresponding non-grafted scion plant, said at least one characteristic is
selected from the
group consisting of: desirable ornamental or esthetic design, enhanced height
or high stem
plant, avoidance of new root development or secondary root development from
the upper
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parts of the plant, limitation of pruning wounds, sturdiness, strong root
system, tolerance to
biotic stress, tolerance to abiotic stress, tolerance to soil borne pests and
diseases, tolerance
to parasitic weeds, prevention of contaminants penetration to the scion,
uniformity, reduced
leaf yellowing, robust growth, plant vigor, vigorous growth, enhanced
inflorescence yield,
enhanced fruit yield, enhanced fruit size, enhanced fruit number, enhanced
yield of plant
propagation material such as cuttings, enhanced aerial yield, combination of
more than one
species or variety on one plant, normal development similar to a corresponding
non-grafted
control plant, and any combination thereof.
[52] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said high stem
grafted plant is
planted into a final commercial planter or pot or any other growing container,
or bedding.
[53] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said high stem
rootstock is
compatible with grafting machines or other automatic and/or mechanic agro
techniques.
[54] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said final commercial
planter or pot
or any other growing container has a volume of 1 liter and less.
[55] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said final commercial
planter or pot
or any other growing container has a volume of 1 liter and more.
[56] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above, wherein said final commercial
planter or pot
or any other growing container has a volume of between about 0.1 liter and
about 2 liter.
[57] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the cuttings
or unrooted
cuttings, grafted cuttings or grafted unrooted cuttings derived from the high
stem grafted
herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above.
[58] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose any plant
part of the high stem
grafted herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above.
[59] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the plant
part as defined in
any of the above, wherein said plant part is selected from the group
consisting of rooted
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cuttings, unrooted cuttings, grafted rooted cuttings, unrooted grafted
cuttings, plant cell,
tissue culture, meristem, flowers and any other vegetative or reproductive
part of the plant.
[60] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose high stem
grafted propagation
material, wherein said high grafted stem propagation material comprises a
scion engrafted
upon a rootstock at a predetermined height of at least 7 cm, further wherein
said high stem
propagation material is selected from the group consisting of grafted high
stem young plants,
grafted high stem rooted cuttings, grafted high stem unrooted cuttings and
grafted high stem
seedlings.
[61] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose a method for
producing a high
stem grafted herbaceous plant comprising steps of: (a) providing a herbaceous
scion plant; (b)
selecting a rootstock which is compatible with said scion plant; (c) growing
said rootstock
under predetermined agrotechnical conditions so as to produce a rootstock with
a
predetermined stem height of at least 7 cm and growth characteristics suitable
for grafting
with said scion; (d) growing said herbaceous scion plant under agrotechnical
conditions, so as
to provide a scion with growth characteristics suitable for grafting with said
rootstock; and (e)
grafting said scion onto said rootstock at said predetermined stem height of
at least 7 cm,
thereby producing a high stem grafted herbaceous plant.
[62] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined above,
further comprises steps of growing said rootstock to a predetermined height of
about 10 cm
and up to 50 cm.
[63] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of adjusting the density of the
grown rootstock
plants by controlling the number of plants per area.
[64] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of selecting a growth tray suitable
for growing said
rootstock by parameters selected from the group consisting of size, shape of
cells, material,
density and any combination thereof.
[65] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of selecting said agrotechnical
conditions from the
group consisting of: growth media, fertilizing solution and regime, irrigation
regime,
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temperature, relative humidity, electrical conductivity, illuminating level,
shading level,
illumination or radiation regime, pH and any combination thereof.
[66] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of selecting said growth
characteristics from the
group consisting of: stem diameter, stem height, flowering time, hypocotyl
size, hypocotyl
length, nodes number, node length, internode number, internode diameter,
internode and/or
stem color, stem habit, root stock and/or scion woodification, growth pattern
and any
combination thereof.
[67] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of controlling at least one
parameter of said grown
rootstock, said at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting
of hypocotyl size,
hypocotyl length, stem diameter, nodes number, internode length,
woodification, and any
combination thereof.
[68] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of growing said rootstock plant for
a period of
between about 30 days to about 45 days from planting until grafting, depending
on the
growth season.
[69] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of growing said scion for about 25
days to about 35
days from planting until grafting, depending on the growth season.
[70] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of regulating the growth of said
rootstock and/or
scion.
[71] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of regulating said growth by means
selected from
the group consisting of applying controlled Low-Radiation regimes for
obtaining etiolated
rootstock plants, applying predetermined wave length regimes, applying plant
growth
regulators (PGRs) such as plant hormones, phytohormones and chemicals.
[72] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of controlling the flowering timing
of the grown
rootstock plants by affecting photoperiodic response of the plants.
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[73] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of grafting said scion onto said
rootstock by a grafting
technique selected from the group consisting of: splice grafting, bud
grafting, cleft grafting,
side grafting, approach grafting, tongue approach grafting, tube-grafting,
hole insertion
grafting, one cotyledon grafting, whip grafting, stub grafting, four flap
grafting, awl grafting,
veneer grafting and by any other grafting technique suitable for grafting
herbaceous plant and
any combination thereof.
[74] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of using trailing and stabilizing
means for
supporting and shaping the grown rootstock or the grafted high stem plant.
[75] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of selecting said trailing and
stabilizing means from
the group consisting of sticks, clips, flowers cutting, trailing net, plastic
tray frame and any
combination thereof.
[76] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of applying plant protection
treatments selected
from the group consisting of: pesticide-based treatment, herbicides treatment,
insecticides
treatment, fungicides treatment, biological pest control treatment, physical
treatment such as
heat, cold, light, high-pressure or vacuum, spraying with gas or liquids,
immersion in liquids
or oils and any combination thereof.
[77] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of enhancing adhesion and healing
processes between
said scion and said rootstock to form a graft union.
[78] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, wherein said step of enhancing adhesion and healing between said
scion and
said rootstock to form a graft union is performed for a period of about 14
days to about 21
days after the grafting step.
[79] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of planting said grafted plant into a
final commercial
planter or pot or any other growing container or bedding.
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[80] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of planting said grafted plant into a
final commercial
planter or pot or any other growing container having a volume of 1 liter and
less.
[81] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of planting said grafted plant into a
final commercial
planter or pot or any other growing container having a volume of 1 liter and
more.
[82] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of planting said grafted plant into a
final commercial
planter or pot or any other growing container having a volume of between about
0.1 liter and
about 2 liter.
[83] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of growing said grafted plant in said
final commercial
planter or pot or any other growing container for about 60 days to about 90
days to achieve a
high stem grafted plant suitable for marketing to a late stage in the supply
chain such as end
user or florists.
[84] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of producing a high stem grafted
herbaceous plant with
desirable ornamental and/or horticultural characteristics relative to a
corresponding non-
grafted scion plant selected from the group consisting of: desirable
ornamental or esthetic
design, enhanced height or high stem plant, avoidance of new root development
or secondary
root development from the upper parts of the plant, limitation of pruning
wounds, strong root
system, tolerance to biotic stress, tolerance to abiotic stress, tolerance to
parasitic weeds,
uniformity, reduced leaf yellowing, robust growth, enhanced inflorescence
yield, enhanced
yield of plant propagation material such as cuttings, enhanced aerial yield,
new ornamental
design, combination of more than one species or variety on one rootstock plant
and any
combination thereof.
[85] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose any part of a
high stem
grafted herbaceous plant produced by the method as defined in any of the
above.
[86] It is a further object of the present invention to the plant part as
defined in any of the
above, wherein said plant part is selected from the group consisting of rooted
cuttings,
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unrooted cuttings, grafted rooted cuttings, unrooted grafted cuttings, plant
cell, tissue culture,
meristem, flowers and any other vegetative or reproductive part of the plant.
[87] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose high stem
grafted propagation
material produced by the method as defined in any of the above, wherein said
propagation
material is selected from the group consisting of high stem grafted young
plants, high stem
grafted rooted cuttings, high stem grafted unrooted cuttings and high stem
grafted seedlings.
[88] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of selecting herbaceous rootstock
compatible with said
herbaceous scion.
[89] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of engrafting said rootstock with at
least two different
scions, said scions belong to different varieties and are compatible with said
rootstock.
[90] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of providing said different scions
having at least one
different characteristic selected from the group consisting of: inflorescence
color, fruit shape,
growth pattern and any combination thereof.
[91] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, comprising additional steps of producing and growing high stem
grafted
propagation material selected from the group consisting of high stem grafted
young plants
and high stem grafted unrooted raw material at predetermined growth conditions
so as to
provide said high stem grafted plant.
[92] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of selecting said young plants from the
group consisting
of rooted cuttings, seedlings, high stem grafted rooted cuttings, and grafted
seedlings.
[93] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of selecting said unrooted raw material
from the group
consisting of unrooted cuttings and high stem grafted unrooted cuttings.
[94] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of growing said unrooted raw material in
plug trays.
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[95] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose the method as
defined in any
of the above, further comprises steps of growing said propagation material so
as to produce a
finished grafted high stem plant.
[96] It is a further object of the present invention to disclose a method of
producing a
herbaceous grafted scion free of soil borne disease comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a
herbaceous scion plant; (b) selecting a rootstock which is compatible with
said scion; (c)
growing said rootstock under predetermined agrotechnical conditions so as to
produce a
rootstock with a predetermined stem height of at least 7 cm and growth
characteristics
suitable for grafting with said scion; (d) growing said scion plant under
agrotechnical
conditions, so as to provide a scion with growth characteristics suitable for
grafting with said
rootstock; and (e) grafting said scion onto said rootstock at said
predetermined stem height of
at least 7 cm; thereby producing a high stem grafted herbaceous scion free of
soil borne
diseases.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[97] In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be implemented
in
practice, several embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting
example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
[98] Fig. 1 presents a photographic illustration of an ornamental pepper
cultivar 'Medusa'
in it's non-grafted, natural growth habit (100) and after grafting on a high
stem rootstock
(200) as an embodiment of the present invention;
[99] Fig. 2 presents a photographic illustration of an ornamental pepper
cultivar 'Treasures
Red' in it's non-grafted, natural growth habit (300) and after grafting on a
high stem rootstock
(400) as an embodiment of the present invention;
[100] Fig. 3 presents a photographic illustration of an ornamental pepper
cultivar grafted on
a high stem rootstock as an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
[101] Fig. 4 presents a photographic illustration of a high stem grafted
ornamental pepper
plug plant;
[102] Fig. 5 presents a photographic illustration of a plurality of high stem
grafted
ornamental pepper plants planted in pots as compared to a corresponding non-
grafted
ornamental pepper plant (500);
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[103] Fig.6 presents a photographic illustration of different growth phases of
Ocimum
kilimandscharicum x 0. basilicum Fl 'Magic Mountain'TM rootstock (A-C) and a
high stem
grafted plug plant comprising the Ocimum kilimandscharicum x 0. basilicum Fl
'Magic
Mountain'TM rootstock engrafted with Ocimum basilicum var. minimum 'el-Greco'
variety
scion (D);
[104] Fig. 7 presents a photographic illustration of a mature engrafted high
stem Ocimum
basilicum var. minimum plant planted in a pot;
[105] Fig. 8 presents a photographic illustration of high stem grafted
Calibrachoa plant,
grown for two months under greenhouse conditions;
[106] Fig. 9A presents a photographic illustration of high rooting potential
of Petunia
rootstocks according to some embodiments of the present invention;
[107] Fig. 9B presents stretched or elongated Petunia rootstock according to
some
embodiments of the present invention;
[108] Fig. 10 photographically illustrating callus formation, rooting and the
undesirable
phenomena of sprouts growth from the callus of a Calibrachoa sp. grafted upon
Petunia
rootstocks;
[109] Fig. 11 photographically illustrating growth of sprouts from callus of a
Calibrachoa
sp. grafted upon Petunia rootstocks;
[110] Fig. 12 photographically illustrating different rootstock trunk
development and
thickness;
[111] Fig. 13 photographically illustrating incompatibility between the
rootstocks Petunia
sp. 'Crazytunia' models Mandeville and Stone-was, and the scions Calibrachoa
sp.
'Chameleon' models Pink and Purple;
[112] Fig. 14 presents a photographic illustration of grafting point breakdown
of
Calibrachoa sp. 'Chameleon' pink grafted upon Petunia surfinia pink;
[113] Fig. 15A presents a photographic illustration of Ocimum basilicum var.
minimum 'el
Greco' plant, used as a scion;
[114] Fig. 15B presents a photographic illustration of Ocimum
kilimandscharicum x 0.
basilicum Fl 'Magic Mountain'TM plant, used as a rootstock;
[115] Fig. 15C presents a photographic illustration of high stem grafted basil
seedling;
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[116] Fig. 15D presents a photographic illustration of high stem grafted basil
in different
growth stages of 1, 4, 14 and 40 weeks old, from right to left , respectively;
[117] Fig. 16A presents a photographic illustration of high stem grafted
tomato plant
comprising `Ikram' scion grafted on 'Arnold' rootstock;
[118] Fig. 16B presents a photographic illustration of rootstock preparation
for grafting at
first leaf height;
[119] Fig. 16C presents a photographic illustration of grafting of `TT33'
tomato variety as a
scion on different rootstocks (left to right) `Resistar', Tufor' and 'Arnold',
respectively;
[120] Fig. 16D presents a photographic illustration of high stem grafted
tomato comprising
`TT33' scion grafted on different rootstocks, compared to non-grafted `TT33'
tomato variety;
[121] Fig. 16E presents a photographic illustration of `TT33' tomato variety
scion grafted on
`Resistaf rootstock;
[122] Fig. 16F presents a photographic illustration of `TT33' scion grafted on
different
rootstocks, from left to right, 'Arnold', `Bufor' and `Resistaf ,
respectively;
[123] Fig. 16G presents a photographic illustration of the effect on root
system development,
of grafting `TT33' scion on different rootstocks; from left to right, `TT33'
scion grafted on 'Arnold'
rootstock, non-grafted `TT33' plant; `TT33' scion grafted on `Resistaf
rootstock;
[124] Fig. 16H presents a photographic illustration of a high stem grafted
tomato plant
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[125] Fig. 161 presents a photographic illustration of a high stem grafted
tomato plant
comprising Tomate PonchiTm-Re Fl as a scion, grafted on `Resistar' rootstock,
as an
alternative embodiment of the present invention;
[126] Fig. 16J presents a photographic illustration of a high stem grafted
tomato plant,
according to some embodiments of the present invention. Right: Tomate PonchiTm-
Re Fl
grafted on submarine 001 rootstock; Left Dwarf tomato `TT33' grafted on
`Resistar'
rootstock;
[127] Fig. 16K presents a photographic illustration of a non-grafted dwarf
tomato
commercial product in a pot, as a comparison to the grafted high stem dwarf
tomato plant of
the present invention;
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[128] Fig. 17A shows on the left ¨ non-grafted Capsicum ornamental 'Treasurs',
and on the
right- high stem grafted Capsicum ornamental 'MamboTm' on Capsicum 'Maccabi'
rootstock;
[129] Fig. 17B shows a photographic illustration of different models of
grafted Capsicum
ornamental 'MamboTm' on Capsicum 'Maccabi' rootstock;
[130] Fig. 17C shows a photographic illustration of Capsicum ornamental
'MamboTm'
grafted on Capsicum 'Maccabi' rootstock;
[131] Fig. 17D shows a photographic illustration of Capsicum ornamental
'Medusa' grafted
on Capsicum 'Maccabi' rootstock;
[132] Fig. 17E shows a photographic illustration of seedling specifications
(left and right
sides of the figure) of grafted Capsicum ornamental 'Medusa' on Capsicum
'Maccabi'
rootstock;
[133] Fig. 18A presents a photographic illustration of high stem grafted
Origanum vulgare;
[134] Fig. 18B presents a photographic illustration of some embodiments of the
high stem
grafted Origanum of the present invention: Left ¨ grafted rooted Origanum
vulgare (short
stem), Right - high stem grafted Origanum 'Aureum Variegata' on Majorana
syriaca Za'atar
rootstock; and
[135] Fig. 18C presents a photographic illustration of high stem rootstock
test of Majorana
syriaca Za'atar, grafted on itself.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[136] The following description is provided, alongside all chapters of the
present invention,
so that to enable any person skilled in the art to make use of the invention
and sets forth the
best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this invention.
Various
modifications, however, will remain apparent to those skilled in the art,
since the generic
principles of the present invention have been defined specifically to provide
means and
methods for producing high stem grafted herbaceous plants and products
thereof.
[137] In one embodiment, the present invention provides high stem grafted
plants and more
preferably, high stem grafted herbaceous plants.
[138] In another embodiment, the present invention provides high stem grafted
herbaceous
propagation material such as high stem grafted herbaceous young plants and
high stem
grafted herbaceous unrooted raw material to be transplanted by finishers into
pots or planting
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containers for further growth and thereafter delivered to retailers to be sold
on to the
consumers.
[139] There is a commercial need to produce new ornamental and esthetic
combinations by
grafting herbaceous, vegetable and flowering plants having a short height or
shrubby or
bushy growth habit on a high stock or stem, which is met and achieved by the
present
invention. Up until now such plants were grafted at a maximum height of about
2-5 cm above
the ground.
[140] Currently high stem plants are produced by a cumbersome and inefficient
method
based on leaving the chosen plant to grow to the desired height and frequently
clipping off
the side shoots that develop on the trunk. The present invention was developed
in order to
provide a more efficient and robust method for production of high stem plants.
[141] The present invention discloses a novel and effective approach by
introducing for the
first time high stem herbaceous plants produced by grafting techniques and
methods. By
using the technique of the present invention to produce high stem grafted
herbaceous plants,
the costs involved are sharply reduced and the production process is
simplified, saves time
and manual work.
[142] In some embodiments, the present invention enables the provision of
enhanced height
grafted plant with enhanced stem thickness and new crown configuration. These
desirable
characteristics are derived from the grafting process of the present invention
and the directed
interactions between the scion and the rootstock. These qualities cannot be
obtained by
conventional growth of the scion variety on single branch as a stem, i.e. by
stretching
technique.
[143] The present invention enables for the first time the opportunity to
produce a
significantly wide range of herbaceous plant species, varieties and
combinations that can be
grown as high stem plants.
[144] Moreover, by the use of grafting, one produces not only nicer more
desirable and
unique plants but also higher survivability, and improved performance, as an
added value for
the consumer and higher returns to the producer.
[145] In fact, the use of grafting as an upscale method for production of high
stem plants
provides a brand new product of high ornamental plants in small pots
(containing from 0.1
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liter to 2 liter of growing medium i.e. soil. As of today high stem plants are
sold to consumers
in relatively large pots (2 liter and up by volume).
[146] Some of the advantages of the high stem grafted plants of the present
invention may
include:
[147] Precocity: The ability to induce fruitfulness without the need for
completing the
juvenile phase, which is the natural state through which a seedling plant must
pass before it
can become reproductive. In most fruiting trees, juvenility may last between 5
and 9 years
and up to 15 years. Grafting of mature scions onto rootstocks can result in
fruiting in about
two years.
[148] Dwarfing: To induce dwarfing or cold tolerance or other characteristics
to the scion.
[149] Ease of propagation: when the scion is difficult to propagate
vegetatively by other
means, such as by cuttings, for example because of rooting difficulty or
cuttings production
difficulty of the selected scion. In this case, cuttings of an easily rooted
plant are used as a
rootstock to be grafted with the selected scion.
[150] Hybrid breeding: To speed maturity of hybrids, especially in fruit tree
breeding
programs. Hybrid seedlings may take ten or more years to flower and fruit on
their own roots.
Grafting can reduce the time to flowering and shorten the breeding program.
[151] Hardiness: When the scion has weak roots or the roots of the stock
plants have roots
tolerant of difficult conditions.
[152] Sturdiness: To provide a strong, tall trunk for ornamental shrubs and
trees. In these
cases, a graft is made at a desired height on a stock plant with a strong
stem. This is used by
the present invention to raise 'standard' herbaceous plants, on a high stem.
[153] Disease/Pest Resistance: In areas where soil-borne pests or pathogens
would prevent
the successful planting of the desired cultivar, the use of pest/disease
tolerant rootstocks
allows the production of the desired cultivar.
[154] Changing cultivars: To change the cultivar to a more profitable or
commercially
desirable cultivar, also called top working. It may be faster to graft a new
cultivar onto an
established rootstock than to replant or develop an entire plant.
[155] Maintain consistency: consistency, a desirable property in the
commercial farming
industry, is herein maintained by grafting a scion with desired fruit traits
onto a hardy stock.
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[156] It is further noted that such high stem grafted plants provided by the
present invention
are desirable and advantageous by having properties such as desirable
ornamental or esthetic
design, enhanced height or high stem plant, sturdiness, strong root system,
tolerance to biotic
stress, tolerance to abiotic stress, tolerance to soil borne pathogens and
diseases, uniformity,
reduced leaf yellowing, robust growth, plant vigor, vigorous growth, enhanced
inflorescence
yield, enhanced yield of plant propagation material such as cuttings, enhanced
aerial yield,
combination of more than one species or variety on one plant and any
combination thereof.
[157] Moreover, the high stem grafted plants of the present invention are
advantageous
since they allow: the use of herbicides as the scion or crown part of the
plant is elevated
above the ground, training the plant quickly and easily, simplification of
pruning and shaping
the plants, avoidance of new root development from the upper parts of the
plant (i.e.
development of secondary roots), limitation of pruning wounds and elimination
of protective
nets against rodents.
[158] It is further noted that herbaceous plants are known for their
relatively weak root
system and are rather susceptible to various soil and water qualities. The
present invention
discloses for the first time the grafting of herbaceous scion on a selected
compatible
rootstock, grown under agrotechnical conditions to have a high stem of at
least 7 cm. The
selected rootstock preferably has desirable horticultural and ornamental
characteristics such
as at least one of the following novel characteristics: elevated stem, strong
root system,
vigorous growth and tolerance to biotic and/or abiotic stresses. Thus a new
and surprising
commercially valuable high stem engrafted plant, preferably herbaceous plant,
is provided.
[159] The production and provision of the grafted high stem herbaceous plants
of the
present invention enable the achievement of unique and innovative ornamental
and
horticultural combinations, for example, enhanced height Basil, enhanced
height ornamental
pepper and enhanced height Calibrachoa grafted plants as compared to the
currently
available shrubby ¨type plants. In further aspects, high stem grafted
herbaceous plants with
desirable added value such as heat, alkalinity and salt tolerance as compared
to the currently
available weak and sensitive herbaceous plant varieties and cultivars are
produced and
provided by the present invention. According to other embodiments, uniquely
designed
engrafted high stem plants and new combinations of herbaceous plant species
and/or varieties
within one plant are herein provided.
[160] The present invention comprises the following novel and unexpected
merits:
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1. The creation and provision of high stem grafted herbaceous plants;
2. The creation and provision of high stem grafted propagation material in
the form of
young plants or in the form of unrooted raw material adapted for planting in
plug
trays.
[161] Furthermore, the present invention provides high stem grafted source
plants or mother
plants which produce a higher yield of cuttings and therefore increase the
efficiency of the
cutting yield.
[162] In accordance with a further embodiment, the present invention provides
novel high
stem grafted propagation material in the form of young plants or any other raw
material
which is used by growers to produce and develop the finished grafted product,
preferably
high stem grafted herbaceous plant, and sell it on to retailers or end users.
[163] It is within the scope of the present invention to provide high stem
grafted
propagation material such as young plants or unrooted raw material that is
used to produce
flowering pots of high stem grafted plants and preferably high stem grafted
herbaceous
plants. Such propagation material encompass, for example, (1) young plants
comprising
rooted cuttings, seedlings, high stem grafted rooted cuttings and high stem
grafted seedlings,
and (2) unrooted raw material or propagation material comprising unrooted
cuttings and high
stem grafted unrooted cuttings. The unrooted, high stem grafted propagation
material may be
inserted into plug trays for the development of roots and thereafter
transplanted by finishers
into pots or planting containers for further growth and thereafter delivered
to retailers to be
sold on to the consumers.
[164] Thus according to a further embodiment, a finished high stem grafted
plant is
produced from the propagation material in the form of young plants or other
forms of raw
material and is provided by the present invention.
[165] In further aspects, the high stem grafted plants, preferably high stem
grafted
herbaceous plants provided by the present invention is adapted for
perpendicular stability
and/or sturdiness when planted in a pot or planting containers. The high stem
grafted
herbaceous plant has desirable properties such as vigorous growth and strong
stem and root
system, which enable its sturdiness and perpendicular stability when planted
and grown in a
pot.
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[166] In a further embodiment, high stem grafted herbaceous propagation
material in the
form of young plants or in the form of unrooted raw material is provided by
the present
invention for the first time. The high stem grafted herbaceous unrooted raw
material, e.g.
unrooted cuttings, are adapted for insertion and development of roots in plug
trays. Once
rooted, the high stem grafted herbaceous young plants are ready for
transplanting to pots or
planting containers for finishing off.
[167] Furthermore, the invention facilitates production and supply of unrooted
grafted
cuttings for the production of high stem grafted young plants.
[168] It should be emphasized that unrooted grafted cuttings of various
plants' genus are
produced and sold, but no high stem grafted (or not grafted) unrooted cuttings
are exist in the
prior art, for example high stem grafted unrooted cuttings of herbaceous
plants. Such high
stem unrooted grafted cuttings are, for the first time, surprisingly provided
by the present
invention and are capable of being embedded, planted in pots or rooted in plug
trays, sturdily
and/or perpendicularly stably grown in the plug trays and sold for on to
finishers to be
planted in pots, in growing containers or in flower beds.
[169] It is further noted that there are grafted young plants, produced and
sold in the prior
art, but no high stem (grafted or not) young plants, for example high stem
grafted young
plants of herbaceous plant. Such high stem grafted young plants, are, for the
first time,
surprisingly provided by the present invention.
[170] The aforementioned herbaceous young plants can be produced from grafted
or not,
cuttings or seedlings and are sold or provided to finishers to be transplanted
to pots or
planting containers.
[171] Definitions
[172] The term "engrafted plant" or "grafted plant" as used hereinafter
generally refers
to a plant comprising a rootstock and at least one scion, wherein the scion(s)
is (are) grafted
onto the rootstock by any method known in the art.
[173] As used herein, the term "rootstock" as used hereinafter refers to part
of a plant
comprising the stem and/or underground part or rooting system of that plant
and onto which a
scion, cutting or bud is intended to be grafted. According to some embodiments
it can refer to
a rhizome or stem. The rootstock is generally selected for its characteristics
including,
interaction with the soil, providing the roots and the stem to support the new
plant, obtaining
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water and minerals from the soil, and providing resistance or tolerance to the
relevant pests,
diseases and/or other stress such as heat and salt tolerance.
[174] It is further within the scope that the rootstock may be chosen by a
person skilled in
the art for its rooting characteristics, its disease resistances and for the
vigor it can confer to
the engrafted plant. According to one embodiment, the rootstock of the plant
of the present
invention may be selected by its compatibility characteristics with the scion,
which in some
embodiments is herbaceous scion. In certain aspects, the rootstock is
manipulated to have a
predetermined height, preferably at least 7 cm, upon which the scion is
engrafted.
[175] The term "scion" as used hereinafter refers to the plant part grafted
onto the
rootstock. The scion usually comprises the stem part or aerial parts (leaves,
flowers, fruits) of
another plant. The scion is selected for it's properties such as the
photosynthetic activity and
the fruit or decorative properties. In some embodiments, herbaceous scion is
selected.
[176] It is within the scope that the term scion also means "crown". The crown
of a plant
refers to the totality of the plant's aboveground parts, including stems,
leaves, and
reproductive structures. A plant canopy consists of one or more plant crowns
growing in a
given area.
[177] The term "high stem" used herein, is to be understood in its common
meaning in
horticulture, namely an elongated stem or trunk of a plant bearing a "crown"
on its top end.
The crown of a plant refers to the plant's aboveground parts, including stems,
leaves, and
reproductive structures.
[178] The term "high stem grafted plant" used hereinafter refers to a
rootstock grown in
predetermined agrotechnical conditions designed to produce an elevated stem of
at least 7 cm
up to the first node, particularly up to 50 cm or more, more particularly
between about 10 cm
and 30 cm, upon which a scion is engrafted. In other embodiments, the
dimensions of the
crown of the high stem grafted plant are at least about 7 cm and up to 30 cm.
In preferred
embodiments 'high stem grafted herbaceous plants' are provided by the present
invention.
Such a 'high stem grafted herbaceous plant' comprises herbaceous scion
engrafted upon a
compatible rootstock at predetermined height of at least 7 cm. In some aspects
such 'high
stem grafted herbaceous plant' comprises herbaceous scion engrafted upon a
compatible
herbaceous rootstock at predetermined height of at least 7 cm. The resultant
grafted
herbaceous plant is advantageous as compared to a corresponding non-grafted
normal plant,
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for example, by its enhanced stem height, vigorous growth, strong root system,
fruit yield
characteristics and tolerance or resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
Furthermore, grafting
a scion upon an enhanced height rootstock according to the method of the
present invention
has the advantage of prevention of contaminants penetration to scion e.g.
foliage, fruits,
vegetables, which may result in reduced use of toxic chemicals. In general, a
corresponding
non-grafted scion plant is usually characterized by undesirable horticultural
properties such
as a relatively weak root system, susceptibility to alkaline surroundings or
other abiotic
stresses, susceptibility to contaminants and/or pathogens and/or pests
(including insects,
fungi, bacteria, viruses and parasitic weeds). The high stem grafted
herbaceous plant can be
produced from rooted or unrooted cuttings or from seedlings, and includes high
stem grafted
propagation material or raw material.
[179] The term "herbaceous plant" as used herein generally refers to a plant
lacking a
persistent woody stem above the ground. Such plants have leaves and stems that
die down at
the end of the growing season to the soil level. Herbaceous plants may be
annuals, biennials
or perennials. Some of the herbaceous plants are flowering garden plants or
potherbs; some
having medicinal properties and some are weeds. In the context of the present
invention
herbaceous plants include flowering plants, vegetables and herbs.
[180] The term "source plant" or "mother plant" is herein defined as the
initial grafting of
a scion onto the rootstock in order to produce the "crop" of cuttings.
Typically the source
plant therefore should provide a large amount of vigorous cuttings which are
subsequently
used for future grafting or grown directly on their own root system.
[181] The term "compatibility" as used hereinafter, is defined as a
sufficiently close
genetic (taxonomic) relationship between stock and scion for a successful
graft union to form,
assuming that all other factors and parameters (technique, temperature, etc.)
are satisfactory.
It is herein further submitted that the degree of "relatedness" necessary for
compatibility may
vary with different taxa (species, genera, and families).
[182] It is further within the scope of the invention, that the term
"incompatibility" may
herein be defined as failure (immediate or delayed) of a graft union to form.
Incompatibility
or failure of the graft to form may occur due to insufficiently close genetic
relationship
between the stock and scion, due to the grafting technique, cellular
physiological intolerance
that may be caused by metabolic, developmental and/or anatomical differences
between stock
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and scion, failure to form functional vascular connections between stock and
scion non-
optimal environment, or disease such as viral disease, introduced as a result
of grafting.
[183] It is further within the scope that the term "immediate incompatibility"
is herein
defined as the rapid death of the scion characterized anatomically by lack or
incomplete
progression of graft union formation. Early events in normal graft union
formation may
include callus formation and formation of fibers.
[184] The term "delayed incompatibility" refers to survival or normal growth
of the
grafted scion for months or even years, including normal formation of xylem,
phloem and
periderm, before degeneration of the graft union occurs.
[185] In general, the compatibility between the scion and the selected
rootstock may be
affected by the plant species, type of graft and environmental conditions
following grafting.
Such conditions may include temperature, which effects callus production,
moisture, which
effects cell enlargement in the callus bridge, growth pattern of the rootstock
and virus
contamination, insects and diseases.
[186] It is herein acknowledged that the formation of a graft union requires
the development
of a de novo formed meristematic area between the scion and the rootstock.
According to
some aspects, this process may comprise steps of: adhesion of the rootstock
and the scion;
proliferation of the callus at the interface and forming a callus bridge; and
vascular
differentiation across the graft interface.
[187] The term "propagation material" or "grafted propagation material" or
"high
stem grafted propagation material" or "high stem grafted herbaceous
propagation
material" is herein refers to any raw material that is used for the creation
of new plants by
grafting. The propagation material or raw material encompasses seeds, all
plant material or
vegetative parts of plants intended for the production of the grafted plants.
It is within the
context of the present invention that such propagation material includes (1)
rooted grafted
propagation material e.g. young plants, and (2) unrooted grafted raw material
or propagation
material e.g. unrooted cuttings. The rooted and unrooted propagation material
is used by
growers to produce and develop the finished high stem grafted plant product.
[188] The term "young plant" or "herbaceous young plant" is herein defined as
rooted
propagation material comprising members of the following: rooted cuttings,
seedlings, high
stem grafted rooted cuttings, and high stem grafted seedlings. In a specific
embodiment,
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young plant refers to a small, young age plant with an active root system. The
young plants as
defined above can be planted and grown in any container, such as planting
containers, pots,
planters or flower beds. According to certain aspects, it is considered as an
advanced level
grafted propagation material, or, in other words it is considered as the most
developed grafted
raw material that finishers use, i.e. pot plant producers, growers that plant
them in the field or
in commercial planters or plantation, who grow them till harvesting stage.
Young plant
producers might graft the young plants whilst in the plug trays.
[189] The term "unrooted propagation material" or "unrooted raw material" or
"unrooted herbaceous propagation material" or "unrooted herbaceous raw
material" is
herein defined as comprising members of the following: unrooted cuttings and
high stem
grafted unrooted cuttings. It is within the scope of the present invention
that such unrooted
propagation material can be planted and grown in any growing container, but
mostly grown
in plug trays for the development of roots and thereafter may be transplanted
by finishers into
pots or planting containers for further growth and optionally thereafter
delivered to retailers
to be sold on to the consumers.
[190] The present invention provides novel high stem grafted propagation
material in the
form of young plants or unrooted grafted raw material that is transported to
its final position
within a growing container or plantation to achieve a finished plant.
[191] Furthermore, by using the grafting method of the present invention, high
ornamental
plants, and preferably high herbaceous plants, in small pots (containing from
0.1 L to 2 L of
growing medium) are produced.
[192] The term "finished plant" is herein defined as a high stem grafted
herbaceous plant
in its final size, shape and design, suitable for marketing to the late stage
in the supply chain
such as end user or florists.
[193] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide novel
high stem
grafted herbaceous propagation material or raw material. Such high stem
grafted propagation
material comprises (1) high stem grafted young plants e.g. in the form of
rooted cuttings,
seedlings, grafted rooted cuttings, and grafted seedlings and (2) high stem
grafted unrooted
raw material e.g. in the form of unrooted cuttings and unrooted grafted
cuttings.
[194] It is according to a further embodiment that new propagation material
comprising
high stem grafted herbaceous young plants and high stem grafted herbaceous
unrooted raw
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material is produced by the grafting method of the present invention and is an
embodiment of
the present invention.
[195] In certain aspects, the present invention provides propagation material
products, such
as high stem grafted herbaceous young plants and high stem grafted herbaceous
unrooted raw
material in plug trays.
[196] According to a further aspect, the present invention provides plugs of
high stem
grafted unrooted propagation material or raw material, preferably, high stem
grafted
herbaceous unrooted propagation material or raw material. The term "plug" or
"plug tray"
generally refers in horticulture to small-sized seedlings or cuttings grown in
trays, filled
usually with a peat or compost substrate. This type of plug may generally be
used for
commercially raising vegetables, ornamental plants and bedding plants. Plug
plants are
unrooted young plants raised in small, individual cells, for the development
of roots, ready to
be transplanted into containers, pots or a garden or fields.
[197] It is within the context of the present invention to provide high stem
grafted
herbaceous propagation material in the form of young plants and high-stem
grafted
herbaceous propagation material in the form of unrooted raw material that is
adapted to be
inserted or rooted in plug trays. The unrooted grafted propagation material is
adapted to be
sturdily, perpendicularly and stably grown in the plug trays until
transplanted (e.g. by
finishers) into pots or growing containers or any final commercial planter.
[198] Thus the present invention provides high ornamental grafted plants, and
preferably
high herbaceous grafted plants, in small pots (containing from 0.1 L to 2 L of
growing
medium).
[199] The term "sturdily grown" or "sturdiness" as used in the context of the
present
invention refers to the provision of a strong, tall stem or trunk for certain
herbaceous
plants, ornamental shrubs and trees. It is herein acknowledged that a graft is
made at a desired
height on a stock plant, with a strong stem. This is used to raise plants,
usually ornamental
plants with a shrubby or bushy or herbaceous growth habit, on a high stem to
produce a new
combination. It is further within the scope that sturdiness refers to the
provision of a strong,
tall trunk for certain ornamental, herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees. In
these cases, a graft is
made at a desired height on a stock plant with a strong stem. This is used to
raise such bushes
or herbaceous plants or some ornamental plants on a high stem.
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[200] The term "cutting" or "cuttings" as used herein refers to vegetative or
asexual
propagating plant material. Plant cuttings are used for vegetative (asexually)
propagation of
plants, by a technique in which a piece of the stem, leaves or root of the
source plant is placed
in a suitable medium such as moist soil, potting mix, coir or rock wool. The
plant piece
(called cutting) produces new roots, stems, or both, and thus becomes a new
plant
independent of the parent or source plant. Plant cutting technique is also
known as striking or
cloning technique. In the context of the present invention, the term "cutting"
or "cuttings"
include rooted cuttings, unrooted cuttings, grafted rooted cuttings and
grafted unrooted
cuttings.
[201] The term "unrooted cutting" refers to cuttings that have no roots and
must be
inserted in the plug tray medium (the soil) and take root there.
[202] The term "seedlings" as used herein refers to a young plant developing
from a seed
and includes seedlings and grafted seedlings.
[203] In the context of the present invention, the term "variety" or
"varieties" correspond
to the usual denomination in agricultural industry and correspond to a plant
of a given
botanical taxon which is distinct from other existing plant, which is uniform
and stable.
[204] The term "normal plant" used hereinafter refers to an ungrafted or non-
grafted plant
(e.g. herbaceous plant) in its natural growth form.
[205] The term "etiolated plant" or "etiolating plants" used hereinafter
refers to plants
grown in partial or complete absence of light. These plants are generally
characterized by
elongated stems; longer internodes, hence usually fewer leaves per unit length
of stem and a
pale yellow color (chlorosis). According to one embodiment, the selected
rootstock plants of
the present invention are grown under low radiation conditions that enhance
the production of
etiolated plants.
[206] The term "ornamental pepper" used herein after generally refers to a
shrubby type,
Capsicum annuum varieties producing colorful and relatively small fruits. Most
varieties are
bred for ornamental use. The pepper fruits may be cone-shaped or round,
depending on the
variety. Furthermore, depending on the variety, the peppers appear in shades
of white, purple,
red, orange, and yellow or with multiple colors on the same plant. In other
embodiments, the
peppers change colors as they mature, for example, from green to yellow to
orange to red.
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Some varieties have purple fruit that is almost black. The peppers are edible,
and may be
sweet or hot.
[207] Non-limiting examples of ornamental pepper varieties or cultivars used
for producing
the high stem grafted herbaceous plants of the present invention may include
Conic Hot
pepper varieties such as 'Mambo Purple Orange', 'Mambo Purple Red' and 'Mambo
Yellow
Red'; Sweet pepper varieties such as 'Sangria' pepper, 'Medusa' pepper and
'Peppa Purple
Tangerine'; Cascade Hot pepper varieties such as 'Cubana Multicolor Red',
'Cubana
Multicolor Orange' and 'Cubana Deep Orange'; 'Black Pearl' pepper; 'Calico'
pepper; 'Chilly
Chili' pepper; 'NuMex Twilight' pepper; 'Pretty in Purple' pepper; 'Purple
Flash' pepper and
'Treasures Red'.
[208] In general, Capsicum varieties and cultivars included within the scope
of the present
invention and used for producing the scion and/or rootstock of the high stem
grafted
herbaceous plants may be members of the following:
[209] (1) C. annuum var. annuum such as 'Aleppo', 'Anaheim', 'Ancho', 'Banana'
pepper,
'Bell' pepper, 'Bird's eye', 'Cascabel', 'Cayenne', 'Chilaca', 'Chungyang red'
pepper,
'Cubanelle', 'Chile de arbol', 'Dundicut', 'Facing heaven', 'Fresno',
'Guajillo', 'Hungarian wax',
'Italian sweet', 'Ja.lapeilo', 'Medusa', 'Mulato', 'New Mexico' ('Anaheim'),
'Padron', 'Pasilla',
'Peperoncini', 'Peter', 'Pimento', 'Poblano', 'Santa Fe Grande', 'Serrano',
'Shishito', 'jalapenos',
'ancho/poblanos'.
[210] (2) C. annuum var. glabriusculum such as 'Piquin' and 'Wild chiltepin'.
[211] (3) C. chinense such as 'Adjuma', 'Ajf dulce', 'Carolina Reaper',
'Datil', 'Fatalii',
'Habanero', 'Hainan yellow lantern chili', 'Madame Jeanette', 'Naga jolokia',
'Red Savina'
habanero, 'Scotch bonnet', 'Trinidad moruga scorpion', 'Trinidad scorpion' and
'Butch T'.
[212] (4) C. frutescens such as 'African bird's eye', 'Siling labuyo',
'Malagueta' and
'Tabasco'.
[213] (5) C. baccatum such as 'Ajf, 'Bishop's crown', 'Lemon drop' and
'Peppadew'; and
[214] (6) C. pubescens such as 'Rocoto' pepper, 'Canario', 'Manzano' and
'Locoto'.
[215] According to one embodiment, the present invention surprisingly provides
for the first
time a high stem grafted herbaceous plant. The grafted plant comprises a scion
engrafted
upon a rootstock at a predetermined height of at least 7 cm. In preferred
embodiments, the
selected rootstock is herbaceous plant which is compatible with the scion.
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[216] According to a further embodiment the high stem grafted herbaceous plant
is obtained
by grafting any herbaceous scion with any compatible rootstock, provided they
are
compatible in terms of grafting-ability, and that the selected rootstock
provides
predetermined desirable characteristics such as strong root system, high
yield, vigorous
growth, tolerance to at least one biotic and/ or abiotic stress and/or
enhanced stem height.
[217] According to certain aspects of the present invention, the selected
scion and/or
rootstock is herbaceous- type plant.
[218] The high stem grafted herbaceous plant of the present invention may be
derived from
propagation material or raw material comprising members of the following:
young plants,
namely rooted cuttings, seedlings, high stem grafted rooted cuttings and high
stem grafted
seedlings, or from unrooted propagation material or raw material comprising
members of the
following: unrooted cuttings and high stem grafted unrooted cuttings. Thus the
present
invention provides young plants or any other propagation material or raw
material comprising
rooted cuttings, unrooted cuttings, seedlings, high stem grafted rooted
cuttings, high stem
grafted unrooted cuttings and high stem grafted seedlings useful for producing
high stem
grafted plants, and particularly high stem grafted herbaceous plants.
[219] In certain embodiments, the rootstock and/or scion can be selected from
the group
comprising Solanaceae, Lamiaceae (or Labiatae), Lobeliaceae, Asteraceae,
Scrophulariaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Cucurbitacea family, and any combination
thereof.
[220] In certain embodiments, the rootstock and/or scion can be selected from
the group
comprising Solanum, Capsicum, Ocimum, Petunia, Physalis and Calibrachoa genus
and any
combination thereof.
[221] The present invention further encompasses plants comprising a rootstock
engrafted
with at least two different scions belonging to two different species or
varieties.
[222] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the examples
described
herein, but it should be considered with any sorts of compatible rootstocks
and scions, and for
any sorts of grafting methods. Thus, the invention is capable of other
embodiments carried
out in various ways.
[223] In one embodiment, the present invention discloses means and methods for
grafting
between genera within the same family.
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[224] According to a further embodiment, the present invention discloses means
and
methods for grafting between species within a genus.
[225] Accordingly, the herbaceous engrafted plant according to the present
invention can
comprise a Solanaceae rootstock variety or cultivar. These rootstock varieties
or cultivars
may be any type of the Solanaceae family, provided they are compatible for
grafting with the
scion.
[226] In a further embodiment, the high stem grafted herbaceous plant
according to the
present invention comprises at least two scions engrafted on a compatible
rootstock.
[227] It is herein acknowledged that the method of the present invention
enables a wide
variety of high stem herbaceous plants to be grafted, of different growing
habits. Growth
habits of plants are classified differently, but in a non-limiting way, we
refer to the USDA
definitions as follows;
PLANTS PLANTS PLANTS Definition Notes
Growth Description
Habit
Code
FB Forb/herb Vascular plant without Applies to vascular plants
significant woody tissue above only. Federal Geographic
or at the ground. Forbs and Data Committee (FGDC)
herbs may be annual, biennial, definition includes
or perennial but always lack graminoids, forbs, and
significant thickening by ferns.
secondary woody growth and
have perennating buds borne at
or below the ground surface. In
PLANTS, graminoids are
excluded but ferns, horsetails,
lycopods, and whisk-ferns are
included.
GR Graminoid Grass or grass-like plant, Applies to vascular
plants
including grasses (Poaceae), only. An herb in the FGDC
sedges (Cyperaceae), rushes classification.
(Juncaceae), arrow-grasses
(Juncaginaceae), and quillworts
(Isoetes).
LC Lichenous Organism generally recognized Applies to lichens only,
as a single "plant" that consists which are not true plants.
of a fungus and an alga or
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cyanobacterium living in
symbiotic association. Often
attached to solid objects such as
rocks or living or dead wood
rather than soil.
LI Liana Climbing plant found in tropical Applies to vascular
plants
forests with long, woody rope- only. In PLANTS,
like stems of anomalous mutually exclusive with VI
anatomical structure. (Vine). A shrub in the
FGDC classification.
NP Nonvascular Nonvascular, terrestrial green Applies to non-vascular
plant, including mosses, plants only; in PLANTS
hornworts, and liverworts. system this is groups HN
Always herbaceous, often (Hornworts), LV
attached to solid objects such as (Liverworts), and MS
rocks or living or dead wood (Mosses).
rather than soil.
SH Shrub Perennial, multi-stemmed Applies to vascular plants
woody plant that is usually less only.
than 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16
feet) in height. Shrubs typically
have several stems arising from
or near the ground, but may be
taller than 5 meters or single-
stemmed under certain
environmental conditions.
SS Subshrub Low-growing shrub usually Applies to vascular plants
under 0.5 m (1.5 feet) tall, never only. A dwarf-shrub in the
exceeding 1 meter (3 feet) tall at FGDC classification.
maturity.
TR Tree Perennial, woody plant with a Applies to vascular
plants
single stem (trunk), normally only.
greater than 4 to 5 meters (13 to
16 feet) in height; under certain
environmental conditions, some
tree species may develop a
multi-stemmed or short growth
form (less than 4 meters or 13
feet in height).
UN Unknown Growth form is unknown.
VI Vine Twining/climbing plant with Applies to vascular plants
relatively long stems, can be only. In PLANTS,
woody or herbaceous. mutually exclusive with LI
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(Liana). FGDC
classification considers
woody vines to be shrubs
and herbaceous vines to be
herbs.
[228] It is further acknowledged that for different plants and different
growth habits novel
ratios of scion length to rootstock, or other parameters such as crown weight,
volume and
area may be included within the present invention. Such parameters may be
defined, in a non-
limiting manner, for example by a high stem grafted herbaceous plant
comprising:
a. a scion of length X
b. a rootstock of length Y
wherein Y/X >1.
[229] In other aspects, the subject matter of the present invention further
encompass
stretched or elongated single branched scion (i.e. at least 6 cm height from
grafting point)
grafted upon a short or normal rootstock (less than about 7 cm) to produce an
enhanced
height grafted plant.
[230] Reference is now made to several embodiments showing high stem grafted
herbaceous plants produced by the method of the present invention.
[231] It is herein acknowledged that, in some embodiments, rootstocks and
scions with
similar stem diameters were chosen to increase the grafting success. Other
parameters that
affect the grafting success may include, in a non-limiting manner members of
the following:
grafting method, plant height, number of branches, number of leaves and root
length,
internode number, internode diameter, internode and/or stem color, stem habit
(upright or
creeping), rootstock and/or scion woodification, and any combination thereof.
[232] Generally speaking, the rootstock part, including the belowground
portion of a plant
may be chosen for its genetic ability to resist or tolerate soil borne
disease. The scion, or
above-ground portion of the plant may be chosen based on is ornamental or
fruit quality.
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[233] It is further within the scope that the high stem grafted herbaceous
plants of the
present invention may optionally have at least one of the following
agronomical advantages:
[234] = Disease resistance against soil borne pests, prevention of
contaminants in the scion
(including foliage, fruits, flowers)
[235] = Tolerance to abiotic stresses
[236] = Improved water and nutrient uptake
[237] = Increased productivity
[238] Reference is now made to Fig.1 presenting a photographic illustration of
a non-
grafted ornamental pepper cultivar 'Medusa', in it's natural growth habit
(100) and after
grafting on a high stem rootstock (200) as an embodiment of the present
invention.
[239] It is herein acknowledged that 'Medusa' peppers are a type of sweet,
ornamental chili
Capsicum annuum pepper which grows upright, brightly colored fruit, which is
long and thin,
producing a "hair of snakes"-type look. The 'Medusa' variety is a dwarf
variety (about 6 cm
long) bearing non-pungent fruits. It is naturally compact and well-branched,
suitable for
planting in (10-cm) pot culture. The plants are highly prized in the hobby
market and produce
colourful, (5 to 5.5-cm) fruit, each with a narrow, twisted, cone shape, held
prominently
upright over the dark green foliage. The fruit colour changes from green
through yellow and
orange, to become red when fully ripe. A single plant can produce 40 to 50
fruits, displaying
the entire range of colours at one time.
[240] In this embodiment, a rootstock of a Capsicum annuum species has been
manipulated
and grown under agrotechnical conditions to achieve a predetermined stem or
stock height of
between about 16 cm and about 20cm. An ornamental pepper variety 'Medusa'
(100) has been
engrafted upon the aforementioned rootstock at the predetermined height. The
high stem
grafted plant, which has a new ornamental design and improved horticultural
properties (such
as resistant to soil-borne pathogens), has been grown for about 60 days in a
planting pot to
achieve a mature and marketable high stem grafted product (200) for end users.
[241] Reference is now made to Fig. 2 presenting a photographic illustration
of an
ornamental pepper cultivar 'Treasures Red', in it's ungrafted, natural growth
habit form (300)
and after grafting on a high stem rootstock of about 16 cm long (400).
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[242] It is herein acknowledged that 'Treasures Red' is a Capsicum annuum
ornamental
pepper cultivar. It has Cluster Type pungent fruits that mature from pale
yellow to orange to
red and upright pods.
[243] The present invention provides for the first time high stem grafted
ornamental pepper,
for example, comprising a rootstock of the Capsicum annuum species engrafted
with an
ornamental pepper crown (i.e. 'Treasures Red' ornamental pepper). Thus the
methods of the
present invention enable the production of new designs and combinations,
especially of
herbaceous plants, such as elevated grafted ornamental pepper plants.
[244] Furthermore, by using the grafting method of the present invention, high
ornamental
plants, and preferably high herbaceous plants, in small pots (containing from
0.1 L to 2 L of
growing medium) are produced.
[245] The elevated grafted plants are advantageous not only by their esthetic
or
morphological properties but also for their horticultural traits such as
resistant to soil borne
pathogens, sturdiness and strong root system.
[246] Reference is now made to Fig. 3 presenting a photographic illustration
of a high stem
grafted finished plant comprising an ornamental pepper (i.e. 'Medusa'
cultivar) crown
engrafted upon a Capsicum annuum rootstock at a height of about 16 cm.
[247] Reference is now made to Fig. 4 presenting a photographic illustration
of a high stem
grafted plug plant comprising an ornamental pepper cultivar grafted onto a
Capsicum annuum
rootstock at a height of about 16 cm. The young high stem grafted plug plant
is provided as a
high stem grafted propagation material to be transplanted by finishers into
pots or planting
containers for further growth and thereafter delivered to retailers to be sold
on to the
consumers. As can be seen in this figure, special stick 40 (of about 20 cm
long) and clips 50
that attach the rootstock to the stick have been used to support the young
grafted plug plant.
Furthermore, methods and means such as cut flowers, trailing net and a plastic
tray frame
may be used in order to support the grown grafted plant.
[248] Reference is now made to Fig. 5 presenting a photographic illustration
of a plurality
of high stem grafted ornamental pepper plants planted in pots as compared to a
corresponding
[249] ungrafted ornamental pepper (500). This embodiment demonstrates the
novel and
inventive grafted herbaceous plant designs and method for producing them.
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[250] Reference is now made to Fig. 6 presenting a photographic illustration
of different
growth phases of Ocimum kilimandscharicum x 0. basilicum Fl 'Magic Mountain'TM
rootstock (A-C) and a high stem grafted plug plant comprising the Ocimum
kilimandscharicum x 0. basilicum Fl 'Magic Mountain'TM rootstock engrafted
with Ocimum
basilicum var. minimum 'el Greco' variety (D). In this embodiment, a unique
and novel high
stem grafted herbaceous propagation material is produced. A rootstock cutting
derived from
an Ocimum kilimandscharicum x 0. basilicum Fl 'Magic Mountain'TM plant (A) is
planted
into plug trays for growth and development of roots for about 10 days (B). The
rootstock
plant is grown to a predetermined height of about 20 cm after a period of
about 30 days (C)
and is ready to be grafted with the selected scion. A high stem grafted plug
plant of the
Labiatae family is produced after about 45 days, comprising an Ocimum
basilicum var.
minimum 'el Greco' variety ('Greek' Basil) scion or crown grafted upon an
Ocimum
kilimandscharicum x 0. basilicum Fl 'Magic Mountain'TM type rootstock at a
height of about
20 cm. As can be seen in this figure, special stick 40 (of about 20 cm long)
and clips 50 that
attach the rootstock to the stick have been used to support the young grafted
plug plant.
Furthermore, methods and means such as cut flowers, trailing net and a plastic
tray frame
may be used in order to support the grown grafted plant.
[251] It is within the scope of the present invention that Ocimum species,
cultivars, hybrids
or varieties used for the production of the high stem grafted plants encompass
entries of
Ocimum accessions described in Table 1 of Yariv Ben Naim et al (2015)
Resistance Against
Basil Downy Mildew in Ocimum Species, Genetics and Resistance Vol. 105,
incorporated
herein by reference.
[252] This high stem grafted plug plant or propagation material provides a new
combination
and morphological design which may have desirable added value such as
sturdiness, strong
root system, heat, alkalinity and/or salt tolerance, tolerance to pathogens as
compared to the
currently available weak and sensitive herbaceous plant varieties.
[253] Reference is now made to Fig. 7 presenting a photographic illustration
of a mature
high stem grafted plant of the Labiatae or Lamiaceae family planted in a pot.
In this
embodiment, an Ocimum basilicum scion (e.g. Ocimum basilicum var, minimum or
Greek
Basil) is grafted upon a rootstock of the Ocimum kilimandscharicum x 0.
basilicum Fl
'Magic Mountain'TM species. It is herein emphasised that a grafted herb plant,
such as the
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Ocimum species are provided in a new commercially desirable morphological
design, on a
high stock or trunk of at least 7 cm height.
[254] Reference is now made to FIG. 8 presenting a photographic illustration
of a high stem
grafted Calibrachoa plant grown for at least two months under greenhouse
conditions. In this
embodiment, a Calibrachoa scion of the Solanaceae family is engrafted upon a
petunia
rootstock of the Solanaceae family at a height of about 16 cm.
[255] It is herein emphasized that the grafting of a scion, particularly
herbaceous scion, onto
a compatible rootstock at a height of at least 7 cm can be done by any
conventional grafting
technique known in the art and more specifically by a grafting technique
suitable for grafting
herbaceous plants. Non-limiting examples of grafting methods used in the
present invention
may include splice grafting, bud grafting, cleft grafting, clip grafting, side
grafting, approach
grafting, hole insertion grafting, one cotyledon grafting, whip grafting, stub
grafting, four flap
grafting, awl grafting, veneer grafting and any other grafting technique
suitable for grafting
herbaceous plant and any combination thereof.
[256] The present invention provides a high stem grafted herbaceous plant,
wherein the
grafted plant comprises herbaceous scion engrafted upon a rootstock at a
predetermined
height of at least 7 cm.
[257] It is further within the scope of the present invention that the scion
as defined above is
engrafted upon the rootstock at a predetermined height of between about 7 cm
and about 50
cm.
[258] It is according to a further embodiment of the present invention,
wherein the scion is
engrafted upon the rootstock at a predetermined height of between about 10 cm
and about 50
cm.
[259] It is further within the scope of the present invention that the scion
as defined above is
of length of between about 7 cm and about 30 cm.
[260] It is further within the scope of the present invention that the scion
as defined above is
compatible with the rootstock.
[261] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the rootstock is herbaceous
plant.
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[262] It is according to a further embodiment of the present invention,
wherein the scion
and/or the rootstock is derived from a hybrid plant.
[263] It is according to a further embodiment of the present invention,
wherein the scion
and/or the rootstock belongs to a family selected from the group consisting
of: Solanaceae,
Lamiaceae (or Labiatae), Lobeliaceae, Asteraceae, Scrophulariaceae,
Caryophyllaceae,
Cucurbitaceae, and any combination thereof.
[264] It is according to a further embodiment of the present invention,
wherein the scion
and/or the rootstock is a genus selected from the group consisting of Solanum,
Capsicum,
Petunia, Calibrachoa, Physalis and Ocimum and any combination thereof.
[265] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the scion and/or the rootstock
is a species
selected from the group consisting of: Solanum melon gena, S. betaceum
(Tamarillo) and
Physalis philadelphica (Tomatillo) and any combination thereof.
[266] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the scion is selected from the
group consisting
of: 'Lobelia', 'Lobelia erinus', Gerbera, Gazania, Bidens, Bidens ferulifolia,
Bacopa, Bacopa
monnieri, Dianthus, Dianthus chinensis, Angelonia, Lycopersicon lycopersicum,
Lycopersicon lycopersicum cherry tomatoes, Thymus, Lavandula, Origanum,
Salvia,
Artemisia, Artemisia abrotanum and Majorana syriaca zaatar and any combination
thereof.
[267] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the scion is selected from the
group of
Capsicum species consisting of: C. annuum, C. baccatuum, C. chinense, C.
frutescents and C.
pubescen and any combination thereof.
[268] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the scion is an ornamental
pepper variety or
cultivar.
[269] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the scion is an ornamental
pepper variety or
cultivar of a Capsicum annuum species.
[270] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the scion is of the Ocimum
species.
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[271] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the scion is selected from the
group of Ocimum
species, cultivars or varieties consisting of: Ocimum x africanum, Ocimum
americanum,
Ocimum amicorum, Ocimum angustifolium, Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum burchellianum,
Ocimum campechianum, Ocimum canescens, Ocimum camosum, Ocimum
centraliafricanum,
Ocimum circinatum, Ocimum coddii, Ocimum cufodontii, Ocimum dambicola, Ocimum
decumbens, Ocimum dhofarense, Ocimum dolomiticola, Ocimum ellenbeckii, Ocimum
empetroides, Ocimum ericoides, Ocimum filamentosum, Ocimum fimbriatum, Ocimum
fischeri, Ocimum formosum, Ocimum forskoelei, Ocimum fruticosum, Ocimum
grandiflorum,
Ocimum gratissimum, Ocimum hirsutissimum, Ocimum irvinei, Ocimum jamesii,
Ocimum
ken yense, Ocimum kilimandscharicum, Ocimum labiatum, Ocimum lamiifolium,
Ocimum
masaiense, Ocimum meamsii, Ocimum metallorum, Ocimum minimum, Ocimum
minutiflorum, Ocimum mitwabense, Ocimum monocotyloides, Ocimum motjaneanum,
Ocimum natalense, Ocimum nudicaule, Ocimum nummularia, Ocimum obovatum, Ocimum
ovatum, Ocimum pseudoserratum, Ocimum pyramidatum, Ocimum reclinatum, Ocimum
serpyllifolium, Ocimum serratum, Ocimum somaliense, Ocimum spectabile, Ocimum
spicatum, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Ocimum transamazonicum, Ocimum tubiforme, Ocimum
urundense, Ocimum vandenbrandei, Ocimum vanderystii, Ocimum viphyense, Ocimum
waterbergense, Ocimum x citriodorum (0. americanum x 0. basilicum), Lemon
basil,
Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum Dark Opal', African blue basil,
basilicum,
kilimandscharicum, minimum, herbalea, 'Globe' basil, 'dwarf basil, 'French'
basil, Ocimum
basilicum var. minimum 'Greek' Basil, entries of Ocimum accessions described
in Table 1 of
Yariv Ben Naim et al (2015) Resistance Against Basil Downy Mildew in Ocimum
Species,
Genetics and Resistance Vol. 105 and any combination thereof.
[272] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the scion is selected from the
group of
Calibrachoa species consisting of: Calibrachoa caesia, Calibrachoa calycina,
Calibrachoa
dusenii, Calibrachoa eglandulata, Calibrachoa elegans, Calibrachoa
ericaefolia,
Calibrachoa excellens, Calibrachoa hassleriana, Calibrachoa heterophylla,
Calibrachoa
humilis, Calibrachoa linearis, Calibrachoa parviflora, Calibrachoa pygmaea,
Calibrachoa
rupestris, Calibrachoa sellowiana, Calibrachoa spathulata and Calibrachoa
thymifolia.
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[273] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the rootstock belongs to a
family selected from
the group consisting of Solanaceae and Lamiaceae or Labiatae.
[274] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the rootstock is selected from
the group
consisting of Cestroideae, Goetzeoideae, Nicotianoideae, Petunioideae,
Schizanthoideae,
Schwenckioideae and Solanoideae subfamily.
[275] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the rootstock and/or the scion
is selected from
the group of Capsicum species consisting of: Capsicum annuum, Capsicum annuum
L.,
Capsicum baccatum L., Capsicum buforum Hunz., Capsicum campylopodium Sendtn.,
Capsicum cardenasii Heiser & P. G. Sm., Capsicum ceratocalyx M. Nee, Capsicum
chacoense Hunz., Capsicum chinense Jacq., Capsicum coccineum (Rusby) Hunz.,
Capsicum
cornutum (Hiem) Hunz., Capsicum dimorphum (Miers) Kuntze, Capsicum dusenii
Bitter,
Capsicum eximium Hunz., Capsicum flexuosum Sendtn., Capsicum friburgense
Bianch. &
Barboza, Capsicum frutescens L., Capsicum galapagoense Hunz., Capsicum
geminifolium
(Dammer) Hunz., Capsicum havanense Kunth, Capsicum hookerianum (Miers) Kuntze,
Capsicum hunzikerianum Barboza & Bianch., Capsicum lanceolatum (Greenm.)
C.V.Morton
& Standl., Capsicum leptopodum (Dunal) Kuntze, Capsicum lycianthoides Bitter,
Capsicum
minutiflorum (Rusby) Hunz., Capsicum mirabile Mart. ex Sendtn., Capsicum
mositicum
Toledo, Capsicum parvifolium Sendtn., Capsicum pereirae Barboza & Bianch.,
Capsicum
pubescens Ruiz & Pay., Capsicum ramosissimum Witasek, Capsicum recuryatum
Witasek,
Capsicum rhomboideum (Dunal) Kuntze, Capsicum schottianum Sendtn., Capsicum
scolnikianum Hunz., Capsicum spina-alba (Dunal) Kuntze, Capsicum
stramoniifolium
(Kunth) Standl., Capsicum tovarii Eshbaugh et al., Capsicum villosum Sendtn.
[276] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the rootstock is selected from
the group of
Petunia species consisting of: Petunia alpicola, P. altiplana, P. axillaris,
P. bajeensis, P.
bonjardinensis, P. exserta, P. guarapuavensis, P. helianthemoides, P.
humifusa, P. inflate, P.
integrifolia, P. interior, P. ledifolia, P. littoralis, P. mantiqueirensis, P.
occidentalis, P.
parviflora, P. patagonica, P. pubescens, P. reitzii, P. riograndensis, P.
saxicola, P.
scheideana, P. variabilis, P. villadiana, P. x atkinsiana and P. hybrida.
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[277] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the rootstock is selected from
the group of
species consisting of: Capsicum annuum, Ocimum basilicum, Solanum lycopersicum
L. , S.
tuberosum and S. melongena.
[278] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the grafted plant comprises
engrafted pairs of
compatible rootstock and scion selected from the group consisting of a
rootstock of the
Petunia genus engrafted with a scion of the Calibrachoa genus, a rootstock of
the Capsicum
annuum species engrafted with a scion of the Ornamental pepper Capsicum annuum
species,
a rootstock of the Ocimum species engrafted with a scion of the Ocimum
species, a rootstock
of the solanum lycopersicum species engrafted with a scion of the S.
lycopersicum species, a
rootstock of the solanum melon gena species engrafted with a scion of the S.
lycopersicum
species, a rootstock of the solanum melon gena species engrafted with a scion
of the S.
melon gena species, and a rootstock of the Origanum vulgare species engrafted
with a scion
of the 0. vulgare species.
[279] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the grafted plant is derived
from grafted high
stem propagation material selected from the group consisting of grafted high
stem young
plants and grafted high stem unrooted raw material.
[280] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the young plants are selected
from the group
consisting of rooted cuttings, seedlings, grafted high stem rooted cuttings
and grafted high
stem seedlings.
[281] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the unrooted raw material is
selected from the
group consisting of unrooted cuttings and grafted high stem unrooted cuttings.
[282] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the unrooted raw material is
adapted for
insertion and growth in plug trays.
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[283] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the grafted high stem unrooted
raw material is
adapted for perpendicular stability and/or sturdiness when planted in a plug
tray.
[284] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide a
high stem grafted
finished plant derived from the propagation material as defined in any of the
above.
[285] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
finished plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the plant is adapted
for perpendicular
stability and/or sturdiness when planted in a pot or planting container.
[286] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
finished plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the plant is adapted
for planting as
bedding plants.
[287] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the rootstock has at least one
compatible
characteristic with the scion.
[288] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the at least one compatible
characteristic is
selected from the group consisting of: stem diameter, growth pattern,
taxonomical similarity,
genetic similarity, anatomical similarity, growth rate, enhanced or reduced
flowering,
enhanced or reduced fruit size, enhanced or reduced fruit yield, internode
number, internode
diameter, internode and/or stem color, stem habit, root stock and/or scion
woodification, and
any combination thereof.
[289] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the rootstock and/or the scion
has at least one
desirable agronomical, horticultural and/or ornamental characteristic.
[290] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the at least one desirable
agronomical,
horticultural and/or ornamental characteristic of the rootstock is selected
from the group
consisting of strong root system, enhanced stem height or high stem, plant
vigor, vigorous
growth, sturdiness, stress tolerance, resistance or tolerance to biotic
stress, resistance or
tolerance to disease agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, resistance or
tolerance to pests and
weeds, disease resistance or tolerance, pest resistance or tolerance,
resistance to pathogens,
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resistance to insect infestation, prevention of contaminants penetration to
the scion, resistance
to abiotic stress, resistance to nutrient deficiencies, improved seed yield,
improved growth
rate, desirable interaction between the rootstock and the scion, induced
dwarfism, induced
scion-crown density, enhanced vigor, induced sturdiness and/or thickness of
the rootstock,
enhanced germination, enhanced rooting potential, minimal sprout
differentiation from callus,
minimal side-shoots from the rootstock stem, enhanced rootstock stem
thickness, maximal
elongation of internodes, robustness, straight stem, thickness and any
combination thereof.
[291] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the stress tolerance
characteristic comprises an
abiotic stress tolerance characteristic selected from the group consisting of
cold tolerance,
high temperature tolerance, drought tolerance, flood tolerance, salt
tolerance, ionic
phytotoxicity tolerance, pH tolerance and any combination thereof.
[292] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the stress tolerance
characteristic comprises a
biotic stress tolerance characteristic selected from the group consisting of a
disease
resistance, an insect resistance, tolerance to parasitic weeds, a nematode
resistance, improved
resistance to soil borne pests and any combination thereof.
[293] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the desirable agronomical and/or
horticultural
characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a rooting potential of
at least 80%,
sprout differentiation from callus lower than 80%, side shoots from the stem
lower than 90%,
average stem thickness of at least 5 mm, average internode length of at least
10 mm and any
combination thereof.
[294] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the rootstock is engrafted with
at least two
different scions the scions belong to different varieties and are compatible
with the rootstock.
[295] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the different scions have at
least one different
characteristic selected from the group consisting of: inflorescence color,
fruit shape, growth
pattern and any combination thereof.
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[296] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the scion is characterized by at
least one
characteristic selected from the group consisting of dense flowering, unique
flower color, low
to moderate incompatibility with the rootstock, at least 50% output of
developed plants,
desirable aroma, enhanced fruit yield, dense foliage, upright fruits, small
conic fruits, many
fruits in cluster, different colors, short nodes, compact crown, many
branches, unripe fruits,
large fruits, un-clustered fruits, short to medium internodes, vigorousness,
large and tall
crown, compactness, branched, colourful fruits, sweet taste, non-pungent
fruits, non-toxic,
long internodes, high yield, multiple taste, multiple flower colors, dwarf and
compact,
tolerance to root and foliage diseases, crown shape, standard commercial
yield, stress
tolerance, dense flowering, unique colors, natural ball-shaped crown, creeping
stems, and any
combination thereof.
[297] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the high stem grafted plant has
at least one
desirable ornamental, horticultural and/or agronomical characteristic relative
to a
corresponding non-grafted scion plant, the at least one characteristic is
selected from the
group consisting of: desirable ornamental or esthetic design, enhanced height
or high stem
plant, avoidance of new root development or secondary root development from
the upper
parts of the plant, limitation of pruning wounds, sturdiness, strong root
system, tolerance to
biotic stress, tolerance to abiotic stress, tolerance to soil borne pests and
diseases, tolerance
to parasitic weeds, prevention of contaminants penetration to the scion,
uniformity, reduced
leaf yellowing, robust growth, plant vigor, vigorous growth, enhanced
inflorescence yield,
enhanced fruit yield, enhanced fruit size, enhanced fruit number, enhanced
yield of plant
propagation material such as cuttings, enhanced aerial yield, combination of
more than one
species or variety on one plant, normal development similar to a corresponding
non-grafted
control plant, and any combination thereof.
[298] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the high stem grafted plant is
planted into a
final commercial planter or pot or any other growing container, or bedding.
[299] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the high stem rootstock is
compatible with
grafting machines or other automatic and/or mechanic agro techniques.
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[300] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the final commercial planter or
pot or any other
growing container has a volume of 1 liter and less.
[301] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the final commercial planter or
pot or any other
growing container has a volume of 1 liter and more.
[302] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
high stem grafted
plant as defined in any of the above, wherein the final commercial planter or
pot or any other
growing container has a volume of between about 0.1 liter and about 2 liter.
[303] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
cuttings or
unrooted cuttings, grafted cuttings or grafted unrooted cuttings derived from
the high stem
grafted herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above.
[304] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide any
plant part of the
high stem grafted herbaceous plant as defined in any of the above.
[305] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
plant part as
defined in any of the above, wherein the plant part is selected from the group
consisting of
rooted cuttings, unrooted cuttings, grafted rooted cuttings, unrooted grafted
cuttings, plant
cell, tissue culture, meristem, flowers and any other vegetative or
reproductive part of the
plant.
[306] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide high
stem grafted
propagation material, wherein the high stem grafted propagation material
comprises a scion
engrafted upon a rootstock at a predetermined height of at least 7 cm, further
wherein the
high stem propagation material is selected from the group consisting of
grafted high stem
young plants, grafted high stem rooted cuttings, grafted high stem unrooted
cuttings and
grafted high stem seedlings.
[307] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide a
method for
producing a high stem grafted herbaceous plant comprising steps of: (a)
providing a
herbaceous scion plant; (b) selecting a rootstock which is compatible with the
scion plant; (c)
growing the rootstock under predetermined agrotechnical conditions so as to
produce a
rootstock with a predetermined stem height of at least 7 cm and growth
characteristics
suitable for grafting with the scion; (d) growing the herbaceous scion plant
under
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agrotechnical conditions, so as to provide a scion with growth characteristics
suitable for
grafting with the rootstock; and (e) grafting the scion onto the rootstock at
the predetermined
stem height of at least 7 cm, thereby producing a high stem grafted herbaceous
plant.
[308] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
above, further comprising steps of growing the rootstock to a predetermined
height of about
cm and up to 50 cm.
[309] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of adjusting the density of
the grown
rootstock plants by controlling the number of plants per area.
[310] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of selecting a growth tray
suitable for
growing the rootstock by parameters selected from the group consisting of
size, shape of
cells, material, density and any combination thereof.
[311] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of selecting the
agrotechnical conditions
from the group consisting of: growth media, fertilizing solution and regime,
irrigation regime,
temperature, relative humidity, electrical conductivity, illuminating level,
shading level,
illumination or radiation regime, pH and any combination thereof.
[312] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of selecting the growth
characteristics from
the group consisting of: stem diameter, stem height, flowering time, hypocotyl
size,
hypocotyl length, nodes number, node length, internode number, internode
diameter,
internode and/or stem color, stem habit, root stock and/or scion
woodification, growth pattern
and any combination thereof.
[313] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of controlling at least one
parameter of the
grown rootstock, the at least one parameter is selected from the group
consisting of hypocotyl
size, hypocotyl length, stem diameter, nodes number, internode length,
woodification, and
any combination thereof.
[314] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of growing the rootstock
plant for a period of
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between about 30 days to about 45 days from planting until grafting, depending
on the
growth season.
[315] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of growing the scion for
about 25 days to
about 35 days from planting until grafting, depending on the growth season.
[316] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of regulating the growth of
the rootstock
and/or scion.
[317] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of regulating the growth by
means selected
from the group consisting of applying controlled Low-Radiation regimes for
obtaining
etiolated rootstock plants, applying predetermined wave length regimes,
applying plant
growth regulators (PGRs) such as plant hormones, phytohormones and chemicals.
[318] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of controlling the flowering
timing of the
grown rootstock plants by affecting photoperiodic response of the plants.
[319] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of grafting the scion onto the
rootstock by a
grafting technique selected from the group consisting of: splice grafting, bud
grafting, cleft
grafting, side grafting, approach grafting, tongue approach grafting, tube-
grafting, hole
insertion grafting, one cotyledon grafting, whip grafting, stub grafting, four
flap grafting, awl
grafting, veneer grafting and by any other grafting technique suitable for
grafting herbaceous
plant and any combination thereof.
[320] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of using trailing and
stabilizing means for
supporting and shaping the grown rootstock or the grafted high stem plant.
[321] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of selecting the trailing and
stabilizing means
from the group consisting of sticks, clips, flowers cutting, trailing net,
plastic tray frame and
any combination thereof.
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[322] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of applying plant protection
treatments
selected from the group consisting of: pesticide-based treatment, herbicides
treatment,
insecticides treatment, fungicides treatment, biological pest control
treatment, physical
treatment such as heat, cold, light, high-pressure or vacuum, spraying with
gas or liquids,
immersion in liquids or oils and any combination thereof.
[323] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of enhancing adhesion and
healing processes
between the scion and the rootstock to form a graft union.
[324] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, wherein the step of enhancing adhesion and healing
between the scion
and the rootstock to form a graft union is performed for a period of about 14
days to about 21
days after the grafting step.
[325] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of planting the grafted plant
into a final
commercial planter or pot or any other growing container or bedding.
[326] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of planting the grafted plant
into a final
commercial planter or pot or any other growing container having a volume of 1
liter and less.
[327] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of planting the grafted plant
into a final
commercial planter or pot or any other growing container having a volume of 1
liter and
more.
[328] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of planting the grafted plant
into a final
commercial planter or pot or any other growing container having a volume of
between about
0.1 liter and about 2 liter.
[329] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of growing the grafted plant in
the final
commercial planter or pot or any other growing container for about 60 days to
about 90 days
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to achieve a high stem grafted plant suitable for marketing to a late stage in
the supply chain
such as end user or florists.
[330] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of producing a high stem grafted
herbaceous
plant with desirable ornamental and/or horticultural characteristics relative
to a corresponding
non-grafted scion plant selected from the group consisting of: desirable
ornamental or
esthetic design, enhanced height or high stem plant, avoidance of new root
development or
secondary root development from the upper parts of the plant, limitation of
pruning wounds,
strong root system, tolerance to biotic stress, tolerance to abiotic stress,
tolerance to parasitic
weeds, uniformity, reduced leaf yellowing, robust growth, enhanced
inflorescence yield,
enhanced yield of plant propagation material such as cuttings, enhanced aerial
yield, new
ornamental design, combination of more than one species or variety on one
rootstock plant
and any combination thereof.
[331] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide any
part of a high
stem grafted herbaceous plant produced by the method as defined in any of the
above.
[332] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
plant part as
defined above, wherein the plant part is selected from the group consisting of
rooted cuttings,
unrooted cuttings, grafted rooted cuttings, unrooted grafted cuttings, plant
cell, tissue culture,
meristem, flowers and any other vegetative or reproductive part of the plant.
[333] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide high
stem grafted
propagation material produced by the method as defined in any of the above,
wherein the
propagation material is selected from the group consisting of high stem
grafted young plants,
high stem grafted rooted cuttings, high stem grafted unrooted cuttings and
high stem grafted
seedlings.
[334] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of selecting herbaceous
rootstock compatible
with the herbaceous scion.
[335] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of engrafting the rootstock with
at least two
different scions, the scions belong to different varieties and are compatible
with the rootstock.
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[336] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of providing the different
scions having at least
one different characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
inflorescence color, fruit
shape, growth pattern and any combination thereof.
[337] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, comprising additional steps of producing and growing high
stem grafted
propagation material selected from the group consisting of high stem grafted
young plants
and high stem grafted unrooted raw material at predetermined growth conditions
so as to
provide the high stem grafted plant.
[338] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of selecting the young plants
from the group
consisting of rooted cuttings, seedlings, high stem grafted rooted cuttings,
and grafted
seedlings.
[339] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of selecting the unrooted raw
material from the
group consisting of unrooted cuttings and high stem grafted unrooted cuttings.
[340] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as
defined in any of the above, further comprising steps of growing the unrooted
raw material in
plug trays.
[341] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide the
method as defined
in any of the above, further comprising steps of growing the propagation
material so as to
produce a finished grafted high stem plant.
[342] It is further within the scope of the present invention to provide a
method of
producing a herbaceous grafted scion free of soil borne disease comprising the
steps of: (a)
providing a herbaceous scion plant; (b) selecting a rootstock which is
compatible with the
scion; (c) growing the rootstock under predetermined agrotechnical conditions
so as to
produce a rootstock with a predetermined stem height of at least 7 cm and
growth
characteristics suitable for grafting with the scion; (d) growing the scion
plant under
agrotechnical conditions, so as to provide a scion with growth characteristics
suitable for
grafting with the rootstock; and (e) grafting the scion onto the rootstock at
the predetermined
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stem height of at least 7 cm; thereby producing a high stem grafted herbaceous
scion free of
soil borne diseases.
[343] In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be
implemented in
practice, a plurality of preferred embodiments will now be described, by way
of non-limiting
example only, with reference to the following examples.
EXAMPLE 1
Protocol for producing a high stem grafted plant
[344] One example of a method for producing a high stem grafted herbaceous
plant
according to the present invention may encompass the following steps:
[345] Step 1: Selecting a scion and a compatible rootstock plant, suitable to
be grafted. In
specific embodiments, herbaceous plant is selected to be used as a scion
and/or rootstock.
[346] Step 2: Growing the selected rootstock for a period of about 30 to about
60 days,
particularly for about 30 to about 45 days (dependent on the season) under
predetermined
agrotechnical conditions to achieve a young herbaceous plant with a
predetermined stem
diameter and a predetermined stem height of between about 7 cm and about 50
cm, suitable
for grafting with the selected compatible scion. Examples of such
agrotechnical conditions
may include illumination regime, shading, temperature, irrigation and
fertilization regimes,
humidity, soil parameters such as conductivity and soil suitability for
bedding or preparing
for bedding. The agrotechnical conditions are configured to produce a sturdy
perpendicularly
grown rootstock with predetermined stem parameters needed for successful
grafting of an
enhanced height herbaceous plant, such as stem height until the first node,
stem diameter,
length between nodes etc.
[347] It is emphasized that up until now, the common grafting height,
especially for
herbaceous plants, was about 2 to about 5 cm above the ground. Thus unique
agrotechnical
parameters or conditions are used to achieve high stem grafted herbaceous
plant.
Furthermore, the grafting technique was not used up until now to produce high
stem
herbaceous plants.
[348] It should be noted that the propagation material used for producing the
rootstock may
be selected from seeds, seedlings or cuttings. More specifically, the
rootstock may be
produced from young plants, rooted cuttings, unrooted cuttings, seedlings,
grafted rooted
cuttings, grafted unrooted cuttings or grafted unrooted seedlings. In the case
of seeds the
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protocol is based on growing seedlings and using cuttings derived from the
seedlings which
are subjected to specific predetermined growth conditions adjusted to elongate
the rootstock
to the needed dimensions. The growth protocol for seeds as compared to
cuttings is based on
different lead time for each stage.
[349] In a specific embodiment, rootstock plant cuttings are rooted in a
planting tray under
growth conditions optimal for producing erectly or upright sturdy herbaceous
stem with a
predetermined height of at least 7 cm above the ground suitable for grafting
with the selected
scion.
[350] Particularly, the steps for growing the selected rootstock may encompass
the
following:
[351] A. Adjusting the density of the grown rootstock plants (i.e. number of
plants per
area);
[352] B. Selecting a suitable growth tray. The parameters for selecting such a
suitable tray
may include, in a non-limiting manner, size, shape of cells, material and
density of the cells;
[353] C. Applying controlled "Low-Radiation" regimes to produce elongated
rootstock to
the needed dimensions, such as stem height and stem diameter (i.e. for
obtaining etiolated
plants);
[354] D. Controlling flowering timing, i.e. by affecting photoperiodic
response of the
plants;
[355] E. Using trailing and stabilizing means to support the grown rootstock
plants. Non-
limiting examples of such means include sticks and clips and other means and
methods such
as cut flowers, using a trailing net and/or using a plastic tray frame in
order to support the
grown rootstock.
[356] F. Growing the selected rootstock at predetermined protocol, i.e. by
controlling
parameters such as illumination level, temperature, relative humidity,
electrical conductivity,
pH, irrigation intervals and fertilization solutions and regimes;
[357] G. Optionally, applying plant protection treatments (e.g. pesticide-
based approaches
such as herbicides, insecticides and fungicides and biological pest control
approaches,
physical treatment such as heat, cold, light, high-pressure or vacuum,
spraying with gas or
liquids, immersion in liquids or oils, and any combination thereof);
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[358] I. Coordinating, regulating and manipulating properties of the plant
propagation
material to be used for rootstock production, including properties such as:
hypocotyl size, i.e.
length; stem diameter and nodes number and length, internode number, internode
diameter,
internode and/or stem color, stem habit (upright or creeping), root stock
and/or scion
woodification, and any combination thereof.
[359] Step 3: Growing a selected herbaceous scion species suitable for
grafting onto the
selected rootstock, i.e. compatible with the rootstock. The scion may be
derived from young
plants or propagation material or raw material comprising rooted cuttings,
unrooted cuttings,
seedlings, grafted rooted cuttings, grafted unrooted cuttings or grafted
unrooted seedlings. In
a specific embodiment, scion cuttings are grown under conditions adapted to
adjust the scion
stem diameter to be suitable for the rootstock diameter and grafting
technique. The growth of
the scion is manipulated such that the scion is suitable for grafting with the
selected rootstock
by growth characteristics such as growth staging and timing and stem diameter.
In certain
embodiments, the scion is grown for about 25 days to about 35 days until
grafting upon the
rootstock.
[360] Step 4: Grafting the scion onto the manipulated rootstock at a
predetermined height
of at least 7 cm, by any suitable grafting technique or method. Optionally,
using trailing and
stabilizing means to support the grafted young or plug plant. Non-limiting
examples of such
trailing and stabilizing means include sticks, clips, flowers cutting,
trailing net, plastic tray
frame and any combination thereof.
[361] Step 5: Enhancing adhesion and hardening processes between the rootstock
and scion
tissues at the grafting area. It is herein acknowledged that during the
healing process, the
plant forms a callus or callus type tissue and reconnects vascular bundles
within the stem. In
specific embodiments, the adhesion stage period may take between about 14 days
to about 21
days after the grafting act.
[362] Step 6: Planting the high stem grafted plug plant into a finalized or
desired pot or
growing container or planter and optionally using means to support the growth
of the
engrafted plug plant if required. The estimated period of time between
planting of the high
stem grafted young plant in a plug tray until the achievement of a finished
high stem grafted
herbaceous plant suitable for marketing, i.e. producing flowers or fruits, is
from about 60
days to about 90 days.
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[363] It is further within the scope that the grafting protocol of the present
invention is used
to produce high stem grafted herbaceous propagation material in the form of
young plants
(such as grafted rooted cuttings and grafted seedlings) or any other raw
material, such as
unrooted grafted cuttings.
[364] It is further within the scope that the grafting method may be any
conventional or
known grafting technique. In all methods employed, complementary ends of the
scion and the
rootstock are brought together to form a graft union. Callous tissue forms at
the graft union as
part of the normal healing process of the plant and serves as a conduit for
water and nutrients
between the scion and rootstock. Grafting involves the union of two
independent plant parts
into one plant. More specifically it may encompass any grafting technique
which is suitable
for grafting herbaceous plants, such as tomato plants. More particularly, the
grafting method
uses diagonal cutting with clips.
[365] It is emphasized that the example described herein encompasses means and
methods
for grafting a scion of a flowering or vegetable or herbaceous plant,
particularly herbaceous
scion, with any selected rootstock, which is found to be compatible with the
selected scion.
Particularly, the example refers to means and methods for producing a high
stem grafted
herbaceous plant of the Solanaceae or Lamiaceae family. Furthermore, the
example
described herein encompasses means and methods for grafting a scion and/or a
rootstock of a
hybrid plant, variety or cultivar.
[366] It is further emphasized that the exemplified method described herein
encompasses
the possibility of grafting two or more scions on one rootstock. In this
embodiment, the two
or more scions belong to different species within the same genus or different
varieties of the
same species. The different scions may have different characteristics such as
inflorescence
color, fruit shape and growing pattern. This enables the production of unique
and surprising
high stem grafted plants and grafted propagation material having ornamental
and horticultural
commercially desirable combinations.
EXAMPLE 2
A process for producing partially commercial high- stem grafted herbaceous
plant
[367] 1. Screening for sources for plant propagation material:
1.1. Identification of genetic sources for the rootstock and scion species
selection,
including different species of seeds and/or cuttings propagation material.
After a
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preliminary screening of different genera of the families Solanaceae and
Lamiaceae
(or Labiatae), candidates were selected according to their horticultural
traits and
evaluation of their potential suitability for the desired enhanced height
grafted plants.
1.1.1. Propagation materials for high-stem grafted plants derived from the
Solanaceae family:
Table 1: Propagation material for high-stem pepper (Capsicum annum)
Commercial model Use Main qualities uniformity
availability
name
Capsicun Orange FTGG72; Scion Dense foliage, High Moderate
(Ornamental Red FTGG73; upright fruits, small
Pepper) Yellow FTGG74; conic fruits, many
MamboTM Purple Red fruits in cluster;
FTGG75 different colors, short
nodes, compact
crown, many
branches; purple
models enables
unique purple
flowering and unripe
fruits
Capsicum Multicolor Orange Scion Large upright fruits;
Moderate Moderate
(Ornamental FTGG96; Un-clustered fruits;
Pepper) Multicolor Red different colors;
CubanaTM FTGG97; Red medium internodes;
FTGG92; Yellow vigorous plant;
FTGG93 Multicolor purple
models enables early
different colors of
unripe fruits
Capsicum Yellow; Red Scion Large and tall crown, Low High
(Ornamental upright un-clustered
Pepper) conic fruits; vigorous
Acapulco plant
Capsicum Red Scion Compact, dark green Excellent
Moderate
annum Fl foliage, upright
Ornamental fruits; Bears conical
Pepper white fruits changing
Treasures Red to bright red at
maturity
Medusa Scion Naturally compact Moderate
High
Ornamental and well-branched,
Pepper Produces colourful
fruit ¨ each with a
narrow, twisted, cone
shape ¨ held
prominently upright
over the dark green
foliage; Sweet taste
(child-safe variety)
bearing non-pungent
fruit; easy-to-grow;
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A Hot Summer
Survivors selection
Sweet bite Red E49.9524; Scion Long internodes ¨ High High
Yellow E49.9526; enables high end-
Orange E49.9531 product; medium bell
fruits; high yield;
different colors; taste
Maccabi Capsicum annum Rootstock Robustness;
straight; Excellent High
rootstock thickness
Table 2: Propagation material for high-stem tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Commercial model Use Main qualities uniformity
availability
name
Beaufort Solanum Rootstock average vigor High High
lycopersicum
rootstock
Arnold Solanum Rootstock Fast-growing; Moderate
high
lycopersicum generative plant habit
rootstock
&ram Solanum Scion Yield, vigor, stress Excellent
high
lycopersicum tolerance
cluster tomatoes
Resistar Fl Solanum Rootstock Fast-growing; Excellent
High
lycopersicum generative plant habit
rootstock
Classic Fl Solanum Rootstock Compatibility with Excellent
High
melon gena tomato scions
Rootstock
Submarine Solanum Rootstock Moderate vigor high high
001 lycopersicum
rootstock
Tomate Solanum Scion Dwarf and compact; High High
PonchiTm-Re lycopersicum taste; crown shape
Fl Cocktail tomato, tolerance to root and
red foliage diseases
Tomate Solanum Scion Dwarf and compact; High High
PonchiTm-Mi lycopersicum taste; crown shape
Fl
Dwarf tomato Cherry tomato, red Scion Dwarf; Delivers full
Excellent High
TT33 sized cocktail
tomatoes at standard
commercial yield.
Table 3: Propagation material for high-stem Calibrachoa
Variety Commercial model Use Main desired
uniformity availability
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name qualities
Petunia suifinia Surfinia White; Burgundy; Rootstock Long
internodes; High High
Hot pink; Purple; Robustness
Dark violet;
Yellow; Blue
spritz; Pink spritz
Petunia sp. Happy Giant Hot pink Rootstock Long
internodes; High High
Robustness
Petunia sp. Bingo White; Blue; Rootstock Long internodes;
Low High
Purple Robustness
Petunia sp. Crazytunia Mandeville; Stone- Rootstock
Robustness Low Low
wash
Calibrachoa sp. Chameleon Lavender; Purple; Scion Dense
flowering; High Low
Pink Passion Unique colors
Calibrachoa sp. Celebration White improved; Scion Dense
flowering; High High
Yellow banana; Unique colors
Neon rose;
Mandarin; Cherry;
Violet
1.1.2. Propagation materials for high-stem products derived from the Labiatae
family.
Table 4: Propagation material for high-stem basil (Ocimum sp.)
Variety Commercial model Use Main qualities
uniformity availability
name
Ocimum Basil 'Magic Green-purple Rootstock Long
internodes; High High
kilimandscharicum Mountain'TM
Robustness; Cold
x 0. basilicum Fl tolerance; Disease
tolerance
Ocimum basilicum Basil 'el Greco' green Scion
Natural ball-shaped Low Low
var. minimum crown; Small gentle
leaves, Aroma
Ocimum herbalea Basil 'Wild Purple-green Scion Purple
color High High
Magic'
Ocimum herbalea Basil 'Lahsa' Purple-green Scion Moderately
small Moderate High
leaves; Aroma
Ocimum herbalea Basil 'Dark Dark purple Scion Gentle
leaves, Dark Low High
Lady' color
Table 5: Propagation material for high-stem Origanum
Variety Commercial model Use
Main desired uniformity availability
name qualities
Origanum vulgare Origanum Green Rootstock
Relativly long Moderate High
vulgare internodes;
Robustness;
Origanum vulgare Origanum Green Scion Aroma
Moderate High
vulgare
Majorana syriaca Za'atar Green Scion Aroma Moderate
High
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Majorana syriaca Za'atar Green Rootstock
Upright, Relativly Moderate High
long internodes;
Robustness;
Origanum vulgare Origanum Green-gold Scion Crown
shape; High High
'Aureum Gold' creeping stems; color
Origanum vulgare Origanum Green-white Scion
creeping stems; color Moderate High
'Aureum
Variegata'
Origanum vulgare Origanum Green Scion Round and soft
High High
'Compactum' leaves; Creeping
stems
Table 6: Propagation material for high-stem Thymus
Variety Commercial model Use Main desired uniformity
availability
name qualities
Origanum vulgare Origanum Green Rootstock Relativly long
Moderate High
vulgare internodes;
Robustness;
Thymus Thymus 'Tabor' Green Scion Crown shape; Aroma High
High
pulegioides
1.2. An additional screening of 70,000 breeding products has been performed.
Candidates
have been selected to be used as source material for rootstock and scion. Four
rootstock candidates have been selected for further tests as described below
(Table
7).
Table 7: Selected varieties of Petunia, to be tested as a rootstock
Variety Experimental name model Rootstock candidate: Main
desired qualities
Long Internodes thickness Sparse
Flowering
Petunia sp. 14-1914 Pink +++
Petunia sp. 14-1915 Red star ++ ++ ++
Petunia sp. 14-1916 Purple-pink +++ +++
Petunia sp. 14-1917 Purple +++ ++ +++
2. Screening for candidate species to be used as scion and rootstock.
2.1. Morphological identification of selected species according to properties
such as
germination, rooting potential, rooting quality, callus formation, sprouts
from the
callus and side-shoots development from the stem, presented in Tables 8-10.
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2.1.1. Morphological identification of Solanaceae; vegetable rootstocks
produced
from seeds, and processed for high-stem grafting use.
Reference is now made to Table 8, presenting quality parameters of Capsicum
and Solanum rootstocks. In this experiment, different Capsicum scions were
grafted on Capsicum Maccabi rootstock and Solanum lycopersicum Dwarf
tomato TT33 was grafted on different Solanum rootstocks. All the tests were
conducted at least twice, 10 replicates per rootstock. The tested rootstock
qualities included maximal germination and rooting potential; minimal sprout
differentiation from callus and/or side-shoots from the stem; maximal stem
thickness and elongation of internodes.
Table 8: Tested quality parameters of Capsicum and Solanum rootstocks.
Rootstock Var Commercial Germination Side-shoots Average
Average
name potential (%) from the stem
elongation
stem (%) thickness of
(mm) internodes
(mm)
Capsicum annum Maccabi 90 70 8 100
Solanum Beaufort 90 90 5 80
lycopersicum
Solanum Arnold 90 90 6 70
lycopersicum
Solanum Resistar Fl 90 80 7 110
lycopersicum
Solanum Submarine 001 90 80 5 110
lycopersicum
Solanum Classic Fl 90 30 5 60
melon gena
2.1.2. Morphological identification of Solanaceae; petunia rootstock produced
from
cuttings.
[368] Reference is now made to Table 9, describing the effect of grafting
Calibrachoa
chameleon model Pink on different Petunia rootstocks, on rootstock quality
parameters. The
test was conducted twice, 10 replicates per rootstock. The desired properties
included:
maximal rooting potential (see Fig. 9); minimal sprout differentiation from
callus (see Fig.
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10) and/or side-shoots from the stem (see Fig. 11); maximal stem thickness and
elongation of
internodes (see Fig. 12).
[369] Reference is now made to Fig. 9A presenting high rooting potential of
petunia
rootstocks according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[370] Reference is now made to Fig. 9B presenting stretched petunia rootstock;
the
stretching has been achieved by applying adjusted protocols including
fertigation and shading
regimes during the rootstock growth.
[371] Reference is now made to Fig. 10, photographically illustrating callus
formation,
rooting and the undesirable phenomena of sprouts growth from the callus of a
Calibrachoa
sp. grafted upon Petunia rootstocks.
[372] Reference is now made to Fig. 11, photographically illustrating growth
of sprouts
from callus of a Calibrachoa sp. grafted upon Petunia rootstocks.
[373] Reference is now made to Fig. 12, photographically illustrating
different rootstock
trunk development and thickness. On the left, a high stem grafted Calibrachoa
plant with a
relatively thick Petunia trunk or stem and on the right, a high stem grafted
Calibrachoa plant
with a relatively thin Petunia trunk.
Table 9: Effect of grafting Calibrachoa chameleon model Pink on different
Petunia rootstocks, on rootstock quality parameters
Var Commercial model Rooting Sprout
Side-shoots Average Average
name potential differentiation from from
the stem elongation
(%) callus (%) stem (%)
thickness of
(mm)
internodes
(mm)
Petunia surfinia Surfinia White 95 100 80
5 25
Petunia surfinia Surfinia Burgundy 95 80 80
8 10
Petunia surfinia Surfinia Hot pink 95 50 80
8 30
Petunia surfinia Surfinia Purple 95 10 80
7 10
Petunia surfinia Surfinia Dark violet 95 80 80
7 30
Petunia surfinia Surfinia Yellow 95 90 80
5 10
Petunia surfinia Surfinia Blue spritz 95 80 80
8 40
Petunia surfinia Surfinia Pink spritz 95 80 80
8 40
Petunia sp. Happy Giant Hot pink 95 50 80 10
50
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Petunia sp. Bingo White 95 50 80 6
30
Petunia sp. Bingo Blue 95 60 80 8
30
Petunia sp. Bingo Purple 95 60 80 8
30
Petunia sp. Crazytunia Mandeville 95 30 80
7 40
Petunia sp. Crazytunia Stone-wash 95 30 80
7 30
2.1.3. Morphological identification of Labiatae - herb rootstocks produced
from
cuttings.
[374] Reference is now made to Table 10, presenting rootstock quality
parameters of
grafted Ocimum, Origanum and Thymus. Different Ocimum scions were grafted on
Ocimum
kilimandscharicum X 0. basilicum Fl 'Magic Mountain'TM rootstock; Different
Origanum or
thymus scions were grafted on Origanum vulgare rootstock. All the tests were
conducted
twice, 5 replicates per rootstock. The desired tested qualities included
maximal germination
and rooting potential, minimal sprout differentiation from callus and/or side-
shoots from the
stem; maximal stem thickness and elongation of internodes.
Table 10: Rootstock quality parameters of grafted Ocimum, Origanum and
Thymus
Var Commercial Rooting Sprout Side-shoots Average
Average
name potential differentiation from from the
stem elongation
(%) callus (%) stem (%) thickness
of
(mm)
internodes
(mm)
Orimum Basil 'Magic 95 0 80 8 70
kilimandscharicum Mountain'TM
x 0. basilicum Fl
Origanum vulgare Origanum 95 20 70 3 20
vulgare
Majorana syriaca Za'atar 95 20 70 3 30
3. Evaluation of different scion and rootstock combinations for achieving
desirable high
stem grafted horticultural plant.
[375] Parameters and results are presented in Table 11.
3.1. Two stages have been tested for compatibility and grafting:
3.1.1. Proof of concept: grafting on short stem (4-6 cm) to evaluate
compatibility
between rootstock and scion and grafting potential (output). Different levels
for
compatibility were identified and their engrafted products were evaluated.
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3.1.2. High stem feasibility: grafting on long stem (7-18 cm) to evaluate
physical and
physiological parameters.
3.2. Testing the life duration of different engrafting products - by
preserving the engrafted
plants and growing them for up to additional 12 months.
Table 11: Grafting different Solanaceae: vegetable scion varieties on
different
Solanaceae vegetable rootstocks; evaluation of engrafted product and rootstock-
scion reciprocal effect
Rootstock Tested Scion Tested Scion models Rootstock
results Scion results
Capsicum annum Capsicum annum Orange FTGG72; Red Good
rootstock Normal physical
Maccabi (Ornamental FTGG73; Yellow development (maximal
development,
Pepper) MamboTM FTGG74; Purple Red thickness); few stem side- similar
to non-
FTGG75 shoots grafted control
CapAir11111 (MUM Capsicum annum Multicolor Orange
Good rootstock Enhanced
Maccabi (Ornamental FTGG96; Multicolor development
(maximal development ¨
Pepper) CubanaTM Red FTGG97; Red thickness); few stem side-
internode
FTGG92; Yellow shoots elongation,
large
FTGG93 size crown, non-
regular (undesired)
Capsicum annum Capsicum annum Yellow; Red Good rootstock Unaffected
by
Maccabi (Ornamental development (maximal rootstock;
normal
Pepper) Acapulco thickness); few stem side-
development similar
shoots to non-grafted
control
CapAir11111 (MUM Capsicum annum Red Good
rootstock Unaffected by
Maccabi Fl Ornamental development (maximal rootstock;
normal
Pepper Treasures thickness); few stem side-
development similar
Red shoots to non-grafted
control
Capsicum annum Capsicum annum Good rootstock Unaffected by
Maccabi Medusa development (maximal rootstock;
normal
Ornamental thickness); few stem side-
development similar
Pepper shoots to non-grafted
control
Capsicum annum Capsicum annum Red E49.9524;
Yellow Good rootstock Unaffected by
Maccabi Sweet bite E49.9526; development (maximal
rootstock; normal
Orange E49.9531 thickness); few stem side-
development similar
shoots to non-grafted
control
Solanum Solanum stem does not get thicken,
Unaffected by
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lycopersicum lycopersicum poor sturdiness
rootstock; normal
Beaufort Tomate PonchiTM development
similar
Re Fl to non-grafted
control
Solanum Solanum stem does not get thicken,
Unaffected by
lycopersicum lycopersicum poor sturdiness
rootstock; normal
Beaufort Tomate PonchiTM development
similar
Mi Fl to non-grafted
control
Solanum Solanum enhanced root system; Enhanced
lycopersicum lycopersicum stem get thicken, development ¨
Beaufort Dwarf tomato moderate sturdiness internode
TT33 elongation, large
size crown, non-
regular (undesired)
Solanum Solanum stem does not get Unaffected by
lycopersicum Arnold lycopersicum
thicken, poor sturdiness rootstock; normal
Tomate PonchiTM development
similar
Re Fl to non-grafted
control
Solanum Solanum stem does not get thicken,
Unaffected by
lycopersicum Arnold lycopersicum poor
sturdiness rootstock; normal
Tomate PonchiTM development
similar
Mi Fl to non-grafted
control
Solanum Solanum enhanced root system; Unaffected
by
lycopersicum Arnold lycopersicum stem does not get
thicken, rootstock; normal
Ilcram poor sturdiness development
similar
to non-grafted
control
Solanum Solanum enhanced root system; Enhanced
lycopersicum Arnold lycopersicum stem get thicken,
development ¨
Dwarf tomato moderate sturdiness internode
TT33 elongation, large
size crown, non-
regular (undesired)
Solanum Solanum stem does not get thicken,
Unaffected by
lycopersicum Resistar lycopersicum poor sturdiness
rootstock; normal
Fl Tomate PonchiTM development
similar
Re Fl to non-grafted
control
Solanum Solanum stem does not get thicken,
Unaffected by
lycopersicum Resistar lycopersicum poor sturdiness
rootstock; normal
Fl Tomate PonchiTM development
similar
Mi Fl to non-grafted
control
Solanum Solanum enhanced root system; Enhanced
lycopersicum Resistar lycopersicum stem get thicken, development ¨
Dwarf tomato internode
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Fl TT33 moderate sturdiness
elongation, large
size crown, non-
regular (undesired)
Solanum Solanum stem does not get thicken,
Unaffected by
lycopersicum lycopersicum poor sturdiness rootstock;
normal
Submarine 001 Tomate PonchiTM development
similar
Re Fl to non-
grafted
control
Solanum Solanum stem does not get thicken,
Unaffected by
lycopersicum lycopersicum poor sturdiness rootstock;
normal
Submarine 001 Tomate PonchiTM development
similar
Mi Fl to non-
grafted
control
Solanum Solanum enhanced root system;
Enhanced
lycopersicum lycopersicum stem get thicken,
development ¨
Submarine 001 TT33 Dwarf moderate sturdiness
internode
tomato TT33 elongation,
large
size crown, non-
regular (undesired)
Solanum melongena Dwarf tomato stem does not get thicken,
Moderate effect by
Classic Fl TT33 good sturdiness rootstock
¨ less
vigor compared to
non-grafted control
Table 12: Grafting different Solanaceae: Calibrachoa varieties on different
Petunia rootstocks; evaluation of engrafted product and rootstock-scion
reciprocal effects
Rootstock Rootstock model Tested Scion Tested Scion models
Rootstock results Scion results
Petunia suifinia white Calibrachoa sp. Yellow banana;
White Undeveloped, thin, Nutritional
Celebration improved; Neon rose;
sprouts from callus; deficiency
Mandarin; Cherry; Nutritional
deficiency (chlorosis); normal
Violet (chlorosis)
physical
development,
similar to non-
grafted control
Petunia suifinia Burgundy; hot Calibrachoa sp.
Pink; Purple Moderate rootstock Unaffected by
pink; purple; Chameleon development
(thickness) rootstock; normal
yellow; blue sprouts from callus
development similar
spritz; pink spritz to
non-grafted
control
Dark violet Calibrachoa sp. Pink; Purple
Moderate rootstock Unaffected by
Chameleon development
(thickness) rootstock; normal
No sprouts from callus
development similar
to non-grafted
control
Petunia sp. Happy Hot pink Calibrachoa sp. Pink; Purple
Good rootstock Unaffected by
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Giant Chameleon development (maximal
rootstock; normal
thickness); moderate stem development similar
side-shoots and sprouts to
non-grafted
from callus
control
Petunia sp. Happy Hot pink Calibrachoa sp. mandarin; cherry
Good rootstock Unaffected by
Giant Celebration development (maximal
rootstock; normal
thickness); moderate stem development similar
side-shoots and sprouts to
non-grafted
from callus
control
Petunia sp. Bingo White Calibrachoa sp. Pink; Purple
Undeveloped, thin, Nutritional
Chameleon sprouts from callus;
deficiency
Nutritional deficiency
(chlorosis); normal
(chlorosis)
physical
development,
similar to non-
grafted control
Petunia sp. Bingo blue; Purple Calibrachoa sp.
Pink; Purple Good rootstock Unaffected by
Chameleon development (well
rootstock; normal
thickness); stem side-
development similar
shoots and sprouts from to
non-grafted
callus
control
Petunia sp. Mandeville Calibrachoa sp. Pink; Purple
undeveloped, thin, Moderate
Crazytunia Chameleon moderate stem side-
shoots incompatibility 70%
and sprouts from callus
output
Petunia sp. Stone-wash Calibrachoa sp. Pink; Purple
undeveloped, thin, Moderate
Crazytunia Chameleon moderate stem side-
shoots incompatibility 70%
and sprouts from callus
output
Table 13: Grafting different Labiatae: herb varieties on different rootstocks;
evaluation of engrafted product and rootstock-scion reciprocal effects
Rootstock Rootstock model Tested Scion Tested Scion models
Rootstock results Scion results
Ocimum Green-purple Ocimum green Good rootstock
Unaffected by
kilimandscharicum x basilicum var. development (maximal
rootstock; normal
0. basilicum FlBasil minimum Basil 'el thickness); moderate
stem development similar
'Magic Mountain'TM Greco' side-shoots and
sprouts to non-grafted
from callus
control
Ocimum Green-purple Ocimum herbalea Purple-green
Good rootstock Unaffected by
kilimandscharicum x Basil 'Wild development (maximal
rootstock; normal
0. basilicum FlBasil Magic' thickness); moderate
stem development similar
'Magic Mountain'TM side-shoots and
sprouts to non-grafted
from callus
control
Ocimum Green-purple Ocimum herbalea Purple-green
Good rootstock Unaffected by
kilimandscharicum x Basil 'Lahsa' development (maximal
rootstock; normal
0. basilicum FlBasil thickness); moderate
stem development similar
'Magic Mountain'TM side-shoots and
sprouts to non-grafted
from callus
control
Ocimum Green-purple Ocimum herbalea Dark purple
Good rootstock Unaffected by
kilimandscharicum x Basil 'Dark Lady' development (maximal
rootstock; normal
0. basilicum Fl Basil thickness); moderate
stem development similar
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'Magic Mountain'TM side-shoots and
sprouts to non-grafted
from callus
control
Origanum vulgare Green Origanum vulgare Green stem does not get
thicken, Unaffected by
good sturdiness
rootstock; normal
development similar
to non-grafted
control
Majorana syriaca Green Majorana syriaca Green stem does not get
thicken, Unaffected by
Za'atar Za'atar good sturdiness
rootstock; normal
development similar
to non-grafted
control
Majorana syriaca Green Origanum Green-gold stem does not get
thicken, Unaffected by
Za'atar 'Aureum Gold' good sturdiness
rootstock; normal
development similar
to non-grafted
control
Majorana syriaca Green Origanum Green-white stem does not get
thicken, Unaffected by
Za'atar 'Aureum good sturdiness
rootstock; normal
Variegata'
development similar
to non-grafted
control
Majorana syriaca Green Origanum Green stem does not get
thicken, Unaffected by
Za'atar 'Compactum' good sturdiness
rootstock; normal
development similar
to non-grafted
control
Origanum vulgare Green Origanum Green-gold stem does not get
thicken, Unaffected by
'Aureum Gold' good sturdiness
rootstock; normal
development similar
to non-grafted
control
Origanum vulgare Green Origanum Green-white stem does not get
thicken, Unaffected by
'Aureum good sturdiness
rootstock; normal
Variegata'
development similar
to non-grafted
control
Origanum vulgare Green Origanum Green stem does not get
thicken, Unaffected by
'Compactum' good sturdiness
rootstock; normal
development similar
to non-grafted
control
Origanum vulgare Green Thymus 'Tabor' Green stem does not get
thicken, Moderate
good sturdiness
incompatibility 50%
output
3.3. Process for selection of grafting products:
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3.3.1. Four high-stem grafting product lines have been selected. These
products
comprise high-stem grafted varieties with commercial added value, which
distinguishes them from the source scion varieties in esthetic and
horticultural
traits and utilization. Different rootstocks and scions combinations have been
identified and selected suitable for commercial protocol usage. In one aspect,
rootstock-scion combinations which enhance stem thickness and sturdiness have
been screened for and identified.
[376] Reference is now made to high stem pepper grafting products. The
Capsicum
annum 'Maccabi' has been found to be suitable as a rootstock. Its advantageous
traits include:
producing straight trunk, woodiness and having only few nodes (1-2). This
variety was tested
for engrafting with 6 selected Capsicum annum scions (15 different models),
yielding 3
different grafting products:
3.3.1.1. Grafting with ornamental pepper MamboTM, or Medusa. It was
demonstrated to develop desirable rootstock to scion proportion (i.e. 1:2:1,
pot height:trunk height:crown height with high uniformity, respectively, as
observed in 95% of the grown plants), continuous flowering, i.e. for at
least 6 months and decorative fruit yield and long shelf life (about 1 year).
[377] Reference is now made to Fig. 17 photographically illustrating some
embodiments of
the high stem grafted pepper products according to the present invention. Fig.
17A shows on
the left side ¨ non-grafted Capsicum ornamental 'Treasurs', and on the right
side- high stem
grafted Capsicum ornamental 'MamboTm' on Capsicum 'Maccabi' rootstock; Fig.
17B shows
different models of grafted Capsicum ornamental MamboTM on Capsicum 'Maccabi'
rootstock; Fig. 17C shows Capsicum ornamental 'MamboTm' grafted on Capsicum
'Maccabi'
rootstock; Fig. 17D shows Capsicum ornamental 'Medusa' grafted on Capsicum
'Maccabi'
rootstock; Fig. 17E shows seedling specifications (left and right sides of the
figure) of grafted
Capsicum ornamental 'Medusa' on Capsicum 'Maccabi' rootstock. A mature high
stem grafted
pepper plant comprising Capsicum ornamental 'Medusa' grafted on Capsicum
'Maccabi'
rootstock is presented in the middle of the figure. It can be seen that the
grafting point of the
scion on the rootstock is about 16 cm and more from the ground.
[378] Reference is now made to Fig. 17F presenting a production protocol and
product
description for high stem grafted capsicum annum plant, as an embodiment of
the present
invention:
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[379] Product specification: Grafted Capsicum, the rootstock is Capsicum annum
(var. High
stem); the scion is Capsicum annum (var. 'Medusa' ornamental pepper/ conic);
Plant height: 20-30 cm above the pot rim;
Crown diameter: 10-15 cm;
Trunk height: 17-20 cm;
Trunk diameter: 0.5-0.8 mm;
Dozens of flowers set fruits all year. The colors and taste (sweet or hot) of
the fruits
depend on the scion variety; the edibleness of the fruits depends on the
growing
protocol.
The finished high stem grafted plant product is designed for planting into a 1
liter
container or pot, but can be also grown in various pot sizes, especially from
1 to 3
liters;
Crop development time from planting to colored fruits: 2-3 months subjected to
growing conditions;
Growth season: perennial
Growth temperature: 15 C at night, 22 C by day, generally between 13 C and
40 C;
Radiation: full sun to half shade at summer; full sun at winter;
Ventilation: preferably, increased pollination and reduced moisture at crown
zone;
Fertilization: increased fertilization is essential in the winter, with
fertilizer optionally
be applied on sunny days. In further aspects, moderate fertilization is
applied in the
summer time.
[380] Agro-techniques :
Suitable for organic management (minimal registered PGR' s, pesticides and
chemicals);
Heavy growth media (weight to volume), or heavy pot (i.e. pot made from heavy
material such as clay, iron, steel, wood, or thick plastic) is recommended for
stabilization of the mature or finished high stem grafted plant or product;
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Support with stakes and rings may be required for about two months or until
the trunk
thickens sufficiently to support the crown weight;
Pruning is not necessary; however it may be useful for thickening the trunk
and
promote overall lignification;
Removing the first developed fruits to increase crown volume, although it may
delay
the development of mature fruits;
The trunk may lengthen or stretched by cutting off the lower branches;
Harsh trimming is possible provided that a minimum of about 25% of the foliage
is
kept to allow fast recovery;
Rootstock side shoots are removed (may be performed in the first weeks of
growth);
Overhead watering and wet crown should be avoided;
[381] Plant protection:
No exposure to any commercial insecticide permitted for use on vegetables.
3.3.1.2. Grafting with ornamental pepper CubanaTM, Treasures, or Acapulco.
Resulted in large crown development, which needed additional support
(such as stick), and fitted 1-5 liter pots. It developed a tree-shape with
trunk
that got thicker following trimmings.
3.3.1.3. Grafting with 'Sweet bite' pepper. The grafted plant developed a
50 cm
height pepper tree which is suitable for 3-5 liter pots and yielding
consumable fruits.
[382] Reference is now made to high stem tomato grafting products. The
Resistar'
rootstock was found to have advantageous traits such as uniformity and
generation of long
internodes which enable commercial high stem grafting. It has been found that
the
combination of rootstock and scion affect rootstock thickening in the high-
stem tomato. Out
of the tested varieties, only the dwarf tomato TT33 has been found to induce
rootstock
thickening.
[383] It has been demonstrated that the combination of TT33 with the Resistar
rootstock is
uniform and enable well-development and yielding crown formation on a thicken
stem.
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[384] The combination of the `Resistar' rootstock with the scion PonchiTm-Re
Fl or
PonchiTm-Mi Fl fit to 1 liter pot, have a good proportion (i.e. about1:2:0.7
pot height:trunk
height:crown height, respectively), compact crown, yielding flowers and
fruits, although
requiring physical support (stick) since the stem thickening and sturdiness is
limited.
[385] Reference is now made to Fig. 16, photographically illustrating high
stem tomato
products. Fig. 16A presents high stem grafted tomato plant comprising Ikam
scion grafted on
Arnold rootstock. Fig. 16B presents illustration of rootstock preparation for
grafting at first
leaf height. Varieties `Resistar', `Bufor' and 'Arnold' are shown from left to
right,
respectively. It can be seen that `Resistar' has the most uniform, high and
thick growth
characteristics. It also develops quicker relative to the other tested
rootstock varieties.
[386] Reference is now made to Fig. 16C, photographically presenting grafting
of TT33
scion on different rootstocks (left to right) `Resistar'; `Bufor' and
'Arnold', respectively. In
each pair of seedlings left was grafted at first leaf height; right was
grafted at second leaf
height.
[387] Reference is now made to Fig. 16D, photographically presenting high stem
grafted
tomato comprising TT33 scion grafted on different rootstocks, compared to non-
grafted TT33
tomato. From left to right: grafted on 'Arnold' rootstock and planted within
17 cm pot; non-
grafted TT33 control planted in 17 cm pot; non-grafted TT33 control planted
within 1 Liter
pot; grafted on `Resistar' rootstock and planted in 1 Liter pot. It can be
seen that the grafted
plants comprising both rootstock varieties demonstrated enhanced scion
vegetative growth
(including internodes, leaf size) relative to the non-grafted control plants.
[388] Reference is now made to Fig. 16E, photographically presenting TT33
scion grafted
on `Resistar' rootstock. The fruits of the grafted plant achieved coloration
60 days after
planting.
[389] Reference is now made to Fig. 16F photographically presenting TT33 scion
grafted
on different rootstocks, from left to right, 'Arnold', `Bufor' and `Resistar',
respectively. This
figure demonstrates the effect of the rootstock on stem development. It can be
seen that
`Resistar' is the most uniform and high rootstock. It is further seen that the
thickness is
similar at this stage between the different rootstocks.
[390] Reference is now made to Fig. 16G photographically presenting the effect
on root
system development, of grafting TT33 scion on different rootstocks; from left
to right, TT33
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scion grafted on 'Arnold' rootstock, non-grafted TT33 plant; TT33 scion
grafted on
Resistar' rootstock. It can be seen that the grafted TT33 scion plants (with
both rootstocks)
demonstrated a significantly enhanced developed root system relative to the
non-grafted
TT33 plant. The `Resistar' rootstock grafted plant presented the most
developed root system.
[391] Reference is now made to Fig. 16H photographically presenting a high
stem grafted
tomato plant according to an embodiment of the present invention. It can be
seen that the
combination of dwarf TT33 tomato as a scion with the Resistar rootstock
results in a plant
comprising a uniform and well-developed yielding crown, on a thicken stem.
[392] Reference is now made to Fig. 161 photographically presenting a high
stem grafted
tomato plant comprising Tomate PonchiTm-Re Fl as a scion, grafted on
`Resistar' rootstock,
as an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
[393] Reference is now made to Fig. 16J photographically presenting a high
stem grafted
tomato plant, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Right:
Tomate
PonchiTm-Re Fl grafted on submarine 001 rootstock; Left Dwarf tomato TT33
grafted on
Resistar rootstock.
[394] Reference is now made to Fig. 16K photographically presenting a non-
grafted dwarf
tomato commercial product in a pot, as a comparison to the grafted high stem
dwarf tomato
plant of the present invention.
[395] Reference is now made to high stem Calibrachoa grafting products. Two
rootstocks and four scions have been identified and selected as suitable for
commercial
protocol usage.
[396] The Petunia sp. 'Happy giant' model 'Hot pink' has been found to be
suitable for usage
as a rootstock. Its advantageous traits include: production of straight trunk,
woody, less
nodes, secondary shoot growth from the callus bridge. This variety was tested
for engrafting
with 4 selected Calibrachoa sp. scions, i.e. 'Chameleon' model Pink and Purple
and
Celebration model mandarin and cherry.
[397] An additional rootstock, Petunia surfinia model 'Dark violet' is a
further example of a
rootstock which can be grown by the protocol of the present invention to be
well suited for
high stem grafting according to embodiments of the present invention. This
rootstock has
been grafted with the two tested scions, Calibrachoa sp. 'Chameleon' model
Pink or Purple. It
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developed straight and woody trunk without any sprouts from the callus. The
scions have
been developed well, with green color and dense flowering.
[398] Incompatibility was recorded between the rootstocks Petunia sp.
'Crazytunia' models
Mandeville and Stone-was, and the scions Calibrachoa sp. 'Chameleon' models
Pink and
Purple. These grafted plants did not develop (see Fig. 13) and 30% of them
wilted.
[399] Reference is now made to high stem basil grafting products. The Ocimum
kilimandscharicum x 0. basilicum Fl 'Magic Mountain'TM has been found to be
suitable as a
rootstock. Its advantageous traits included: tolerance to cold and biotic
stress, production of
straight trunk, woody, with few nodes (1-2). This variety was tested for
engrafting with 4
selected basil scions. Grafting with Ocimum basilicum var. minimum 'el Greco'
resulted in
production of a unique ball-shaped crown with desired leaf-size, and aroma.
The trunk
continued to get thicken following trimmings. The grafted plant is tolerant to
stress (drought,
cold) compared with the non-grafted scion.
[400] Reference is now made to Fig. 15 photographically illustrating Basil
grafting
products. Fig. 15A presents Ocimum basilicum var. minimum 'el Greco' plant,
used as a scion,
Fig. 15B presents Ocimum kilimandscharicum x 0. basilicum Fl 'Magic
Mountain'TM plant,
used as a rootstock, Fig. 15C presents high stem grafted basil seedling and
Fig. 15D presents
high stem grafted basil in different growth stages of 1, 4, 14 and 40 weeks
old, from right to
left , respectively.
[401] Further high-stem grafted herbs product lines included grafted Origanum
vulgare and
Majorana syriaca rootstocks.
[402] High stem origanum: A compatibility with different origanum varieties
was recorded.
[403] Reference is now made to Fig. 18, photographically illustrating high
stem grafted
Origanum products. Fig. 18A presents high stem grafted Origanum vulgare. Fig.
18B
presents some embodiments of the high stem grafted Origanum of the present
invention: Left
¨ grafted rooted Origanum vulgare (short stem). Right - High stem grafted
Origanum
'Aureum Variegata' on Majorana syriaca Za'atar rootstock. At the bottom of the
pot ¨ shoots
from the rootstock. Fig. 18C presents high stem rootstock test of Majorana
syriaca Za'atar,
grafted on itself.
[404] High stem thymus: grafting success of 80% and moderate incompatibility
was
recorded.
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[405] Reference is now made to high stem grafted basil tree description and
growth
protocol, as examples of embodiments of the present invention.
[406] In some aspects, the finished grafted plant is suitable for planting in
a 3-liter
container, but can be grown in various pot sizes from 1 to 10 liters.
[407] Product specification:
[408] Reference is now made to some parameters of a mature grafted basil tree
in a 3 liter
pot:
[409] Height: about 35-38 cm high above the pot rim
[410] Crown diameter: about 25 cm
[411] Trunk height: about 18-22 cm
[412] Trunk diameter: about 7-8 mm
[413] Reference is now made to some parameters of a mature grafted basil tree
in a 1 liter
pot:
[414] Height: about 30-35 cm high above the pot rim
[415] Crown diameter: about 14-20 cm
[416] Trunk height: about 17-20 cm
[417] Trunk diameter: about 5-8 mm
[418] Crop time: about 6-24 weeks subjected to growing conditions and desired
end-
product.
[419] Agro-techniques:
[420] According to one embodiment, support with stakes and rings may be
required for
about 2 months or until the trunk sufficiently thickened to support the crown
weight.
[421] According to another embodiment, trimming is recommended once a week
during the
first month of growth. Thereafter, trimming is used for crown shaping and
flowering
prevention, subjected to the rate of growth. The average frequency may be
every second
week in the summer and once a month in the winter. Usage of trimming is
adapted to give the
crown a spherical shape; to thicken the trunk and to promote overall
lignification and
woodification. The trunk can be lengthened by cutting off the lower branches.
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[422] According to a further embodiment, harsh trimming is possible provided
that a
minimum of 25% of the foliage is kept on to allow fast recovery.
[423] According to a further embodiment, rootstock side shoots should be
removed (may
occur in the first weeks of growth).
[424] According to a further embodiment, abscission of leaves may occur, but
can be
reduced by frequent trimming and by avoiding over-watering.
[425] According to a further embodiment, overhead watering and wet crown
should be
avoided.
[426] Growth temperatures: between about 10 C and about 40 C, more
particularly, about
16 C at night, about 24 C by day.
[427] According to a further embodiment, full sun exposure may result in
enhancement of
production of compact and healthy plants.
[428] Growth seasons of the grafted plants: perennial. Flowering prevention by
clipping off
buds is recommended, yet not necessary.
[429] Fertilization: increased fertilization is essential in the winter, with
fertilizer to be
applied on sunny days. In the summer time, usage of low level of fertilizers
or avoidance of
fertilizers is recommended.
[430] Plant protection:
[431] Susceptible to Botrytis blight. Infection can be prevented by heating
and by using
good ventilation cycle for humidity reduction. Prophylactic application of
fungicides is
recommended.
[432] Infections of Peronospora sp. may be treated with Ridomil (Metalaxyl-M).
[433] Susceptibility to aphids may be observed in the summer. No exposure to
any
commercial insecticide permitted for use on herbs.
[434] Grafted Basil tree has tolerance to temporary drought stress and
tolerance to short-
term cold stress; if splinting is performed quickly, easy recovery from
diseases and pest
infestations, as well as from breakage may be achieved.
4. Commercial evaluation:
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[435] This stage included developing prototypes adapted for potential clients
comprising
selected varieties and performing adaptations to the market demands, for
example, desired
scions, new scions, height of final grafted plant or product, adaptations of
rootstock height
and grafted head diameter to fit desired pot proportions.
4.1. High stem pepper: Based on the Capsicum annum Maccabi rootstock, 3 scion
series
were further tested and developed for growth protocols and marketing:
4.1.1. The MamboTM series comprises the conic-fruit type, decorative and can
be
consumed as hot pepper.
4.1.2. The 'Medusa' type is multi-color and has sweet fruits.
4.1.3. The sweet bite series was designed according to costumer demand for 40-
60
cm high-stem which can be integrated with other edible plants at the same
growth-container.
4.2. High stem Basil: this product was the first to be rapidly produced (6
weeks to
finished pot) and in large scale production. It provides a novel basil tree.
The
combination of tolerant rootstock which is thickened possibly like a small
tree trunk
during growth at the consumer site, with a scion having decorative and desired
aroma
qualities, make this high stem grafted product a tree-like, single high stem,
product
enduring for years.
4.3. High stem Calibrachoa: Based on the new Calibrachoa sp. 'chameleon'
series as
scions, 5 engrafted products were developed for commercial scale usage: The
Petunia sp. 'Happy giant' model 'Hot pink' was grafted with Calibrachoa sp.
scions:
'Chameleon' model Pink and Purple and Celebration model mandarin and cherry;
Petunia surfinia model 'Dark violet' was grafted with Calibrachoa sp.
'Chameleon'
model Purple.
4.3.1. Reference is now made to Fig. 14 presenting a photographic illustration
of
grafting point breakdown of Calibrachoa sp. Chameleon pink grafted upon
Petunia surfinia pink. It is shown in replicates 80, 90 and 100 that a weak
adhesion and different rootstock and scion development lead to unequal
diameter
and physical sensitivity between the rootstock and scion.
4.3.2. Thus the grafting protocols and products of the present invention are
designed
to achieve the following desirable grafting horticultural parameters:
4.3.2.1. Improved compatibility between the rootstock and the scion
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4.3.2.2. Uniform adhesion point: similar shoot diameters between rootstock
and scion; without noticeable callus.
4.3.2.3. Fast adhesion (5-10 days from grafting to adhesion).
4.3.2.4. Suppression of continuous formation of side-shoots from the stem
or
sprouts from the callus.
4.3.2.5. Rootstock-scion combinations which enhance stem thickness and
sturdiness.
4.3.2.6. Usage and development of trailing and stabilizing means for
supporting and shaping the grown rootstock or scion.
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